Review: Skin Deep by Pamela Clare

Skin Deep

(I-Team After Hours #1)

by Pamela Clare

Thank you to Pamela Clare for giving readers something to indulge in as we wait for the next I-Team book. For me, it has felt like a long time since I’ve read an I-Team book, but after reading this short story about Megan, I felt the need to go back and read them all again.

True to Clare’s writing style, she sucks you in right from the beginning. I was already emotionally involved in this story because if you’re a rabid fan of the I-Team series, you know of Megan Hunter, the younger sister to Marc Hunter. We have read about her trials and troubles from Marc’s POV but never really got her side of the story...until now.

Clare delivers a great short story that will pull on your heartstrings and make you fall in love with these damaged characters that have the lucky chance to fall in love. I love all the heroes in the I-Team series, so I wondered how Nathaniel West would compare to the rest of the bad boys. Nate is a wonderful character filled with an old soul that I admired. Though physically scarred, his heart holds so much love that even though Megan doesn’t think she is worth it, Nate has some tenderness to spare. And the fact that Nate was so welcoming and attentive to Emily, Megan’s daughter made him more irresistible.

Megan and Nate are both scarred, but I think together, they are able to see past the emotional and physical reminders of what has happened with them. So even though their relationship progresses slowly, it is so worth the wait.

I also loved how involved Marc and the other guys were in this story. For this reason, I personally think it’s better to have read the I-Team books BEFORE you read this one. There are some details in this book that are somewhat spoilery for the books in the series. To get a better experience, you’ll want to read this in order.

At the end of this book, Clare also includes an extra short story about what goes down when Marc and Julian go for a beer run. It was nice to read about the guys once again because they have much distinct personalities. I couldn’t help but smile whenever one of them made a smart remark.  Nothing beats their humor.

SKIN DEEP may have quenched my thirst for some I-Team goodness, but it seems like I’m already addicted. I’m already begging for more! I think it’s time for a re-read.

 

 

Purchase Links: Amazon

Midsummer's Eve Blog Giveaway Hop: BREAKING POINT by Pamela Clare

Under the Covers is participating in the Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop hosted by I'm A Reader, Not a Writer.  EVERYONE will be eligible to enter our 300 FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY from 12:00AM June 21st until 11:59 June 24th. Winner will be announced on the 25th.  Don't miss our interview with Pamela Clare, which will be posted on the LAST day of this giveaway!!

Denver journalist Natalie Benoit and Deputy U.S. Marshal Zach McBride find themselves captives of a bloodthirsty Mexican drug cartel. Working together, they escape through the desert toward the border, the attraction between them flaring hotter than the Sonoran sun. They fight to stay ahead of the danger that hunts them as forces more powerful than they can imagine conspire to destroy them both...

To enter:
1. Be a follower of this blog
2. Fill out the form below.


Thanks to our followers who have supported us through all this!

 

Keep hopping through...

Review: Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare

Extreme Exposure (I-Team # 1)

by Pamela Clare

Romantic Suspense

Find it on Goodreads!

This is my second time reading Extreme Exposure and this is my second attempt at writing a review. No words are adequate enough to explain how great this series is. While it may not be my favourite of the series, Extreme Exposure starts the I-Team series with a bang! It really has all you could want in a romantic suspense novel. It’s clearly evident that Clare is a terrific writer. The words flow and there are great moments of suspense and the right amount of humor. I really loved her writing style. Overall, this book was fantastic! Ms. Clare is an auto-buy author for me and I’m telling you, she should be one for you as well.

The heroine, Kara McMillan is a tough and determined investigative reporter who doesn’t fall back easily in the roughest of times. I enjoyed her character a lot. However, there were a few times where I felt that her determination in her work caused more problems than solutions. Sometimes, there was a lead and you feel like some real progress has been made, but them Clare pulls a U-turn and we’re back to square one! The suspense aspect of the novel definitely had my heart pumping for the majority of the book. And when that wasn’t happening, the romance aspect got my little heart to go pitter-patter too.

And now I must speak of the man who is the embodiment of women’s fantasies – Reece Sheridan. Senator Reece Sheridan really is the embodiment of the perfect gentleman. He’s polite and doesn’t take advantage of women who have had one too many margaritas. He’s manly in that he likes to pump iron with his friends, but creative enough to get a bunch of branches together and make a bed frame with it. Tell me, what man can do that? This guy can pull off everything! But after intense scrutiny of his character, I found one fault!!! Why does he always yell during sex? All the “Taste yourself!” and “I need to fuck you hard and fast!”? Weird. Okay, okay, so that’s not really a bad thing. There really is nothing bad to say about Reece. He’s just PERFECT!

The I-Team series has shot to the top of my all-time favourites lists. Pamela Clare is one of my all-time favourite authors. And if you still haven’t read the I-Team series, you’re missing out big time. With some of the sexiest heroes, Clare’s I-Team series is a must read!! 

This is how I pictured Reece Sheridan. The perfect man deserves a perfect body and face.

 

READ MY OTHER I-TEAM REVIEWS:

Book 2: Hard Evidence

Book 3: Unlawful Contact

Book 4: Naked Edge

Book 5: Breaking Point

 

Review: Breaking Point by Pamela Clare

 

Breaking Point (I-Team # 5)

by Pamela Clare

Romantic Suspense

Find it on Goodreads!

Oh my stars!!!

It’s official. There is no denying it now. I am a Pamela Clare I-Team FANATIC!!! And when I say this, I am admitting to thinking of nothing else other than the I-Team series for almost 10 days straight. Pamela and her I-Team series shot straight to the top of my all-time favourites list, standing proudly next to my Ward, Cole, Singh and Kleypas keeper shelves! With a short list of books she has released, Clare has become my newest auto-buy author and if you haven’t read any of her stuff yet, PLEASE please check out any of her novels! I promise you, you won’t be disappointed! Clare gets the *Leather Lust* seal of approval!

Now onto my thoughts about Breaking Point. ..With the last two books being favourites of mine, I was a little worried that Zach McBride wouldn’t stand a chance against the likes of Julian, Marc and Gabe. But, damn is Zach smokin’!! Zach has been set up and taken prisoner by the Zetas, a bloodthirsty Mexican drug cartel who enjoy torturing their prisoners and brutalizing women. As he reaches his last shard of hope, he hears the cries of a terrified woman, the next intended victim of Cárdenas and Zach’s protective tendencies rise to the surface again. With her help, they escape from their captor’s grip and flee to the border for safety. Meanwhile, they deny their attraction for one another until they realize they are not only running away from their killers, but also from their feelings.

I liked what Clare did differently in this book. Instead of keeping the identity of the bad guy a secret throughout the book, from the very beginning we know that Zach is on the good side while Arturo and his Zetas men are the bad guys. I think this worked in developing a sense of urgency in Zach and his action plan while making us hate Arturo and his men on a higher level than in the previous books. Instead of being kept in the dark, we read about the ruthless and brutalizing ways of the Zetas and come to hate them on our own terms. Clare lays out the facts, and we draw our own reactions.

What I loved about this book is the complexity of Zach and Natalie’s relationship. They don’t just fall in love and live happily ever after. Just because Natalie and Zach work together to escape Mexico doesn’t automatically mean they are a couple fit for marriage. Zach is plagued by guilt and his memories in Afghanistan still haunt him. Meanwhile, Natalie still feels her grief of her fiancé’s death. She doesn’t believe herself capable of loving again and Zach doesn’t believe he deserved to be loved at all.

I loved reading about the trials that the both of them had to endure to get to their happily-ever-after. This was definitely an emotional book, where Clare features two tortured souls who find happiness in one another. I couldn’t have asked for more!

Breaking Point was a nail-biter for me. If you stopped reading at 50 pages (although you won’t, trust me. It’s that good!), this would be a 5 star book. If you took a chunk out of the middle of this book and read from there, it would be a 5 star book. I was baffled to think back on how much happens in this little book. Calling it “action-packed” seems like an understatement.

I savoured this book, reading slowly and read every damned line (sometimes, rereading too) because I didn’t want it to end. It’s a long wait for the next one, but there is no doubt in my mind that whatever Clare releases next will be a star! Bottom line? I-Team will own you.

Here's my fantasy cast:

 Favorite Quote:

“You’re going to take a shower – with your guns?”

“I’m not actually going to take them into the shower. I just want them close by. You know, if you’re going to hang with me, you need to learn the correct terminology.”
He held up the AK-47, the muscles of his arm bunching against the weight. “This is an assault rifle.”
Then he held up the handgun. “This is a semi-automatic pistol.”
Then he gave a little thrust and looked down at his penis. “That is my gun. As you’ve discovered, it’s pump-action like a shotgun, but it doesn’t fire bullets.”
Then he shut the door behind him, leaving Natalie to giggle into her pillow.

Review: Naked Edge by Pamela Clare

 

Naked Edge (I-Team # 4)

by Pamela Clare

Romantic Suspense

Find it on Goodreads

First and foremost, I have to talk about Clare’s storytelling abilities. Not only does each subsequent instalment get better, but Clare manages to keep things fresh in every book. Naked Edge to me, is more raw, more elemental and spiritual as it showcases Kat’s Navajo traditions and beliefs. It was so vastly different from the other books, but still very much engaging and riveting!

I loved that Clare made Kat’s background a major aspect of the book! This book was so culturally rich, I felt I was learning along with Gabe as she explained her beliefs and traditions. This not only made for a perfect way to veer the plot forward but it also made Kat more real to me. You could tell that she held her beliefs close to her heart. Even if she lives in Denver, she’s still a rez girl.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t that excited to read her story since she’s one of the more reserved I-Team members, but I enjoyed her shyness and vulnerability. Paired with her determination and strong-will, Kat made for an amazing heroine! I absolutely adored her.

But Gabriel Rossiter was the star of this book! Clare has a way of making me love each of her characters, especially her heroes. But for some reason, I felt that Gabe’s POV stood out amongst the others. I LOVED reading into his mind. How he pined for Kat, how he fought his emotions for her, how feelings of grief and anger oscillated with one another surrounding Jill. All of it made me love him more! To me, Gabe represented the ultimate alpha with his protectiveness. However, there is one more thing that made me love him so much...it was the fact that throughout this whole thing, he never made promises he couldn’t keep. He never led Kat on about his feelings. He let her know what he could give her and what he couldn’t, without spilling the secrets of his past. I have to respect that.

Gabe, you are an angel and if you haven’t read this series already, I promise you, you will never be the same after reading one of Clare’s books! Clare puts so much heart in her little books. She is able to make me laugh and cry in equal measures, making each book a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Naked Edge is no exception.

As you can tell, I have been obsessed with this series for awhile now. Some of my wonderful friends and fellow bloggers have referred this series to me, so I’d like to give them shout-outs. Rhonda, (of Shameless Romance Reviews) thank you, thank you, thank you for physically shoving this series into my face and riding my ass until I read them. I am eternally thankful for your persistence. I also want to give a shout out to Lady Jayne of Lady Jayne’s Reading Den who writes the most extensive and fun-filled reviews for this series. Jayne, you match my obsession for this series but are much better at pimping them out! Check out Lady Jayne's review of Naked Edge here.

As for my fantasy cast for this book, I have to agree with Lady Jayne’s choice of Kristen Kreuk for Kat! Great choice, Jayne!

But I have to go with Nathan Kamp as Gabriel Rossiter. For me, I couldn’t get Nathan’s gorgeous face out of my head as I read this book.

What do you think?

And now, I am onto Breaking Point and Zach McBride! Here I come, baby!

Favourite Quote:
“It can be something you want me to do to you, or something you want to do to me, or even something you want us to do together, like a role-playing game – teacher and schoolgirl or caveman and cavewoman or cowboy”-he winked-“and captive Indian maiden.”

 

Review: Unlawful Contact by Pamela Clare

  

Unlawful Contact (I-Team # 3)

by Pamela Clare  

Romantic Suspense

Find it on Goodreads

 

Dear Julian,
I love you, I love you, I love you. ..But I may love Marc Hunter more.
His piercing green-eyed stare, that killer sense of humor and the fact that he knows how to handle a gun may just trump that sucky-swirly thing you do with your tongue.
I’m sorry. Please don’t kill me.
Love,
Ann

Oh my god! So I’ve just finished Unlawful Contact minutes ago and I’m still recovering.

Okay, but in all seriousness, Pamela Clare has gone above and beyond any expectations I had for this book! Each new installment in the I-Teams series is better than the first and I know I said I wanted Julian’s babies in my last review, but I am considering having Marc’s now. Hunt just has that affect on my ovaries. Can you blame a girl?

Marc Hunter has lived through hell. He lost six years of his life, rotting away behind bars for a crime he would without a doubt commit again. With his lethal good looks and his deadly charm, Marc is a force to be reckoned with. Ms. Clare writes the most amazing heroes in her novels but I think Hunter tops them all. There are so many facets to his personality. One of the best things I loved about him was the fact that he had honor. Even with his status as a convicted murderer, he still had a sense of right and wrong that I respected a lot. Furthermore, I loved his sense of hope and his live-in-the-moment attitude. In the bleakest of times, he doesn’t become brooding and tortures himself over things he has no control of. Instead, he makes the best of what he has and never forgets the gift of the present he is living in.

And then there’s Sophie Alton who has become my favourite heroine of this entire series! I adored her from the get-go and loved her faith in Hunt. The prologue was so brilliantly crafted that I knew I would be in trouble because I fell so hard for both these characters. Out of the I-Team, Sophie was pretty laid back. But in the spotlight, in her own book, I thought she shined. She was so strong and courageous. What both Hunt and Sophie experience in this book, is both gut-wrenching and heartfelt because even during the toughest of times, they find salvation within each other.

Their love for one another was so believable and potent that ...I’ll admit it, I cried a lot during this book! This book has officially become one of my all-time favourites because I will never be the same after reading this. Unlawful Contact tore me to pieces and as corny as it sounds, I will always remember this.

Now, here’s the hard part....finding a book to read after this because nothing will stand up to the masterpiece that this book is. Nothing.

Favourite Quote:
“Well, okay, then.” He leaned back, crossed his arms over his chest, and grinned. “But when you ‘Pistol Pants’ were you referring to my firearm – or my gun?”

This is my Marc Hunter:

 

Review: Hard Evidence by Pamela Clare

 

Hard Evidence  (I-Team # 2)

by Pamela Clare 

Romantic Suspense

Find it on Goodreads

There's this love/hate relationship with me and Ms. Clare’s heroines. Sometimes, I'm green with envy because they have to deal with the most amazing guys. Sometimes, I'm mad because they can be soooo persistent and driven in their work that they forget that their safety is in danger. There are times when they cause more trouble than solve problems. But at the same time, I admire their courage and strength. Whatever the case may be, the reason why I go through these emotions is because when I open a Pamela Clare book, I get so emotionally attached to the characters that I can’t help but feel for them.

Hard Evidence was a complete play on my emotions. Ms. Clare is not only the sweetest and most down to earth author I have ever had the pleasure of interacting with but, she is also so damn smart that she intimidates me! Just take a look at any one of her books! In fact, after just reading a short chapter, you can already get the sense that she knows exactly what she is talking about in her books. It’s no wonder why her I-Teams series is so popular!

I love Ms. Clare’s attention to detail. Good scenes are made better by the little details she adds into her books. For example, when Julian teaches Tessa how to handle a gun, all those minute details she adds in about firearms not only showcases the fact that she did her research, but also further develops Julian’s character as a FBI special agent.

Romantic suspense is a genre I don’t read often. I am a romance junkie and need my daily dose of it. With romantic suspense, I initially thought that the romance would be a subplot rather than the real focus. But in Hard Evidence, there is a perfect balance. Not only was Tessa and Julian’s relationship a prominent part of this book, but it was also believable in the gradual way they learned to trust each other.

I also loved learning about Julian and his past. If I could, I would have his babies! He is officially part of my harem now and after rereading this book, I can truly say that I love Julian Darcangelo more now. Here is how I picture Julian:

Hard Evidence is romantic suspense at its finest. Pamela Clare’s writing is to die for. She is able to mix hard, cold facts about the ugly side of life and intermingle it with beautiful moments of love and hope. Ms. Clare is truly a star at what she does and if you need further convincing, see all the other 5 star reviews she’s received. The proof is in the writing.

Favourite Quote:
“What is ‘Darcangelo’?”
“My last name.” He was biting back a grin.
“No! I mean what ethnicity.” She grabbed a pillow off the couch, hit him with it.
He fended off her attack with his forearm. “I’m half Italian.”
“Which half?” The words were out before Tessa could stop them.
His lips curved in a slow, sexy smile that made her heart trip. “From the waist down.”