Black Night Series by Julie Ann Walker

When I started working for a bookstore I learned that books don’t sit on the shelf until they’re bought.  Sometimes, sadly, a book that has been sitting there too long gets sent back to the publisher.  Even sadder, sometimes the publisher doesn’t want the book back and asks for it to be destroyed.  The cover gets ripped from the book and usually it gets tossed into the recycling bin.  My bosses, being the kind souls that they are, give us booksellers a chance to dig through said recycling bin to rescue the coverless books and take them home with us.

This is how I came to be acquainted with Julie Ann Walker’s books.  I have no idea how her books have been sitting on the shelves for so long because they are masterpieces.  I managed to grab a few books from her Black Night series.  Book 2: In Rides Trouble.  Book 5: Born Wild.  And Book 7: Full Throttle.  Her Black Night series follows some really hunky ex-military men who have come together to form their own off-the-books special ops team, using their friend’s motorcycle shop as a cover.

I have read books 2 and 5 and let me tell you, Julie Ann Walker does a fabulous job of creating standalone books.  I hadn’t even a clue that I wasn’t starting with the first book when I read In Rides Trouble.  I never thought I would find the name Frank hot, but I do now.  Becky wants Frank, Frank wants Becky, there’s just one issue, he’s hiding a major secret from the group and he isn’t about to give it up, even if it means losing Becky.

He and Becky have some off the charts passion in this book, so much so that I think I was actually panting at one point.  In Rides Trouble has drama, a stubborn man, a strong-willed woman, and mistakes that will make you laugh and curse in frustration.  The secondary characters will have you cracking up even as the main characters refuse to kiss when you desperately want them to.  My only complaint with this was that there was so much build up that I was practically foaming at the mouth for them to finally get together, but when they did, wowza, it was worth the wait.

Book 5, Born Wild, was a fantastic second read for me because it told the story of Becky’s brother, Billy, and her best friend, Eve, which were two characters from Book 2 that I wanted to know the story behind.  Billy and Eve dated once upon a time.  Young, passionate, and madly in love the two had everything going for them, but add in one elitist father and suddenly Eve was marrying some rich guy before Billy could even get an objection in.  Now many years later Eve’s life is in danger and she’s come to Billy to help save her life. 

There were a maddening amount of misunderstandings between Billy and Eve.  I was clutching at my hair wanting to scream at the characters to buck up and talk to one another.  This isn’t a complaint, however, I do so love the drama associated with misunderstandings.  Julie Ann Walker writes sex like people have sex.  Do you ever read a romance novel and the characters are just saying the most ridiculous things (“Let me love you, my beautiful beacon of light”, you get the picture)?  You won’t be rolling your eyes at these novels.

Overall, if you like the Alpha male novels, unbelievably well written sex scenes, women who know what they want, and dangerous situations, you are going to love these novels.  Give them a chance and you won’t be disappointed.  In fact, if you’re anything like me, you’ll just be 104 degrees, panting, and wishing you knew some special ops guys to jump.