Black List: HOT Heroes for Hire: Mercenaries

Black's Bandits, Book 1

By: Lynn Raye Harris

Narrated by: Joe Arden, Emma Wilder

Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Jace Kaiser is a man without a country, without connection. His only loyalty is to the group who saved him, and the man who leads them. Until her...

The assignment should have been easy. Capture a deadly assassin and take her to HQ. But flawed intel leads to disaster, and Jace abducts a beautiful art appraiser instead. Intrigued by her courage, he's drawn to her in ways he can't explain. Dr. Madeline Cole stood up to him, fought for her identity, and never backed down. She's the kind of woman he could fall for if it wasn't so dangerous - for her.

Then Maddy is targeted for elimination because she's the sole person who can identify the mysterious female assassin - and the only thing standing between her and certain death is the sexy mercenary who swears he'll die before he lets anything happen to her. As the passion between them ignites, it seems clear that keeping Maddy safe has become the most important assignment of Jace's life.

Even then, protecting her might not be enough - because Jace has secrets that could destroy them both. And someone is determined to unmask them all...

©2019 Lynn Raye Harris (P)2020 Lynn Raye Harris

✫✫ 4 Stars ✫✫

I love to finding a new to me author that I enjoy. I really liked this Romantic Suspense story with a strong female lead and a hot but dangerous spy/mercenary. Their love story started out a little angry and very suspicious in the beginning but they still had that immediate attraction and chemistry that I love in any romance book. I also enjoyed the process of them getting to know each other and falling in love. It was a little quick but I feel like that is ok when tensions are high and lives are in danger. This story wasn't very steamy but I think we just get more story that way and I also felt like it was a little light on suspense and excitement until the very end but that didn't affect my enjoyment of the story line. I also really enjoyed the ending and the surprise reveal that I never saw coming. While I did find this story to be a little I will definitely be looking for the next audiobook in this series, I can't wait to see who's book it is!

The narration was great, Joe Arden and Emma Wilder mesh very well together in my opinion.

Great first book of a series

Black List is the best beginning of a series I've read in a long time. As a fan of Lynn's other Hot series, there was no question I was going to read this book, yet it still exceeded all expectations. Jace and Maddy's story has the exact right mix of sizzle, adventure, and mystery, however, Ian Black is the scene-stealer and what will keep me coming back to this series. I read this book before I listened to it and I have to say that the audio really added to the story. Joe Arden and Emma Wilder are great choices as narrators for this story. I recommend it to anyone who loves a great Action/Adventure romance.

Black List

I always struggle with book 1 from a series. Usually because there is a lot of world and character building and the storyline can get a little lost. But I have to say I didn’t with this book at all.
The characters were sharp and the world building easy to get right into. I really enjoyed getting to know the men and the women. I was on the edge of my seat for parts of it.
Jace is intriguing I like that he wasn’t the leader. I think that made me like him a little more. Ian just seems like the right fit for the leader role.
Maddy is fierce! I love when the heroine is just as witty and strong as the men maybe even more so. She doesn’t break and she has ample opportunity to but she is a strong one.
The chemistry was perfect. The love story being told along with the suspense I just thoroughly enjoyed myself.
The narration was perfection I am a huge fan of Joe Arden. But I think who stole the show was Emma Wilder she gave such depth to her voice it was awesome to listen to.

Mercenaries, spies, mistaken identity and love!

This is a good story and kept my interest. This was my first Lynn Rae book and it intrigued me enough to go in search of more of her work. I was able to predict the villain but it didn’t ruin the storyline for me. I wanted to learn more about secondary characters so I plan to continue the series.

Narration:
Emma and Joe did a great job bringing life to these characters. I enjoyed listening to them and hearing the different voices they give each character. Emma had a vulnerability to her voice for Maddy. Joe’s snark for secondary character voices is always fun to hear!

👍🏻👍🏻

It looks like this is going to be another good series. Jace and Maddy story is interesting but in my opinion the end of the story (action) could be better. Lots of drama and good sex. I can wait to listen book 2 because I really like both narrators.

Great romantic suspense

I have a weakness for a good protective alpha hero ....and Joe Arden narration...so this was right up my alley. Plot was predictable, including the identity of the assassin. However, I still really enjoyed it.

Black's Bandits got it down!

Mistaken identity turns into love, & surprise endings. Jace & Maddie have to stay alive to see if they have what it takes

Welcome To Black's Bandits

Although the meeting between Jace and Maddy was due to a mistaken identity, their connection is something they can't deny. Jace may try to stay away from Maddy, but he isn't able to, which draws her even further into his world with BDI. This is the first book in this new series that will give us more insight to Ian Black's Bandits. Joe Arden and Emma Wilder are wonderful at giving voice to the characters that we meet.

great read

this book was enjoyable I love the characters and story line can't wait to see what the next book has in store

Sexy, Stubborn Alpha Goodness

Loved this much more than I thought I would at first. Maddie is a great mix of strength, intelligence, and vulnerability. Jace is pure stubborn, bordering on arrogant, alpha hero. The chemistry between them sizzles. It took several chapters for me to adjust to the character voices, but the narrators were consistent, so I eventually got there. This story did a pretty good job of introducing characters who will have future books. I look forward to reading/listening to them all. Not the best I’ve read by Harris, but not the worst either. Heck, even her worst books are still worth reading. Cannot wait to get to Ian’s book!

It wasn’t half bad, really

It wasn’t half bad, really. The world built–with this paramilitary organization called BDI–was interesting. The characters’ background too. Actually, the whole suspense/action/spy plot was convincing, if not original. It was simple and efficient, with a good twist and some remaining mysteries for the rest of the series.

What wasn’t convincing was the romance, in my opinion. Between Maddy and Jace, there’s first mistrust, then Jace plays the protector, and finally he’s trying to save Maddy from their common enemy. There’s constant pressure or danger. While I can understand some form of attraction, how does it take precedence over all other thoughts at various moments? As if, at the moment of dying a horrible death, all they could think about were the dirty things they wanted to do with each other. Sorry, I don’t buy it.

Also, the imbalance between them bothered me quite a bit. Jace knows things about Maddy’s past that she ignores, and he doesn’t share them, even while they shape his relationship with her. I still enjoyed the few moments they spend together, when they share personal details. They clearly connect on some level.

There was some good passionate sexy times. But also some action and violence, with a good pacing.

Narrators are both talented, but I felt their reading pace didn’t match the tension and energy from the book. They did great with the characters though–all of them. Maddy’s naivety and Jace’s determination are rendered perfectly.

Fantastic

And it's only just started. We finally get to the Black Bandits! This group was often in previous series books.
Loved Jace and Maddy. Interesting suspense storyline. Interesting side characters. Thought it might follow a different formula than the HOT series but it didn't (oh well).

Seems like part of the storyline will continue so probably need to read in order.

Audio- two great narrators gave a fabulous performance.

Ebook and audio

Wow

I wish that there had been something wrong with this book so that I could have turned it off and slept instead I listened all night and I don’t even feel guilty. This was everything I hoped for it was hot with incredible characters that had chemistry through the roof. The storyline was well paced and the narration couldn’t have been better.

This is one of those audiobooks that will be going into my regular rotation. Such a good listen

Great new series!

What an exciting start to a new series!! I am a huge fan of Lynn Raye Harris's HOT books and Black List is the first of the greatly anticipated Black Bandits, following Ian Black (a HOT regular and reader favourite) and his team.

This is Jase and Maddy's story and I loved it.
Joe Arden and Emma Wilder really brought these two characters to life. Although their relationship doesn't get off to the best of starts, thanks to a case of mistaken identity. Soon the two of them are getting closer and sexy, alpha Jase is in full protective mode. Not that Maddy is a retiring wallflower, she has plenty of spirit and is not afraid of speaking her mind, even to the formidable Mr Black himself!!
Full of action, romance and suspense, Maddy and Jase's story definitely did not disappoint. I cannot wait to get my hands on more of Black's Bandits, and I can never have too much Ian Black in my life. This is another hit series from the author!