From the author of Ricochet and Backfire, comes the final book in the dark and gritty Vigilantes world …Ballistic is a delicious twisty, dark and unputdownable book. Keri has ended this series of standalone books with a BALLISTIC bang. -Kathy Coopmans, USA Today Bestselling AuthorA life for a life. On the streets of Detroit, it’s the code we live by. You take from me, I take from you. A balance … take from you. A balance of power, and a ceaseless war between rivals.
As a foster kid from the projects, I never had much, besides an unshakable addiction to women and drugs. Only took one glance into the amber eyes of a slave for me to realize my two worst vices could be one and the same.
And the woman behind those eyes quickly became my obsession.
Nicoleta is more than she seems. An enigma I’m determined to crack before time runs out and our enemies hunt her down. Except, she moves by her own trajectory, an unstoppable bullet on the warpath to track down the men who murdered a girl from her past.
Me? I’m the rogue whose path is less predictable. A junkie, fiending for the one thing I shouldn’t want: the only woman who gets me high. I want to keep her for myself, but when the unstoppable bullet finally hits her mark and secrets begin to unravel, another life must be paid.
A heart for a heart.
***BALLISTIC can be read as a complete standalone.
Other Books In This Series:
RICOCHET
BACKFIRE
INTREPID
more
I hardly know where to start. This book, this series actually is the epitome of dark romantic suspense, and this author’s flair for blind-siding her reader with those “OMG I did not see that coming” reveals, is spectacular.
Ballistic, the final in the Vigilantes series, takes us on a journey with Dax and his pursuit to rescue the girl sold at auction. Human trafficking and drugs are the theme in this installment, so be warned, this story is not pretty. The victim, Nicoleta, turns out to be anything but. She’s damaged, but she is strong, and she is resilient, and she is mad!
Bent on revenge, she and Dax join forces to seek out and put an end to the ones responsible, so they won’t ever be able to harm anyone else, but not all is as it appears with our heroine and no one is more surprised than Dax.
The growing relationship between Dax and Nicoleta is woven masterfully into their journey and only enhances the appeal of their love story rather than detract from the suspenseful aspects of the book, I’d say it’s a perfect blend.
I highly recommend you pick this one up, rather start from the beginning because, I guarantee you will be hooked on these Vigilantes with heart. Each book in the series is a standalone and each one has a little different flair, but each one will leave you completely satisfied in a story well told as you close the cover.
I swear, every hero I’ve met in these books has been incredible in their own ways. First there was Nick, who had lost everything in a night of horror. He was everything I wanted in an antihero. Then there was Jase, who also lost everyone dear to him as well. He ended up being a sweetheart stuck with a girl I couldn’t stand. In Ballistic we get Dax, best friend to Jase and a man who had suffered his own share of tragedy. After his foster sister was found beaten, raped, and dead, he promised retribution. He’s hunted. He’s killed. And he won’t stop until they have all tasted his vengeance. I was already intrigued by the guy when I met him in Backfire, but in this book I found out he hunts pedophiles. My freaking hero!!
Dax made it his mission to save the amber-eyed girl from Tesarik. He didn’t know her, but she was one more victim he wasn’t going to have end up like his sister. He had no idea what he was getting himself into because this girl, Nicoletta, was one twisted chica. Her story was a disaster. She was treated abominably from such an early age, and despite her intellectual promise, she hadn’t amounted to anything more than a meat stick. She was abused, tortured, and violated. And yet, she wasn’t broken. Her rage and hunger for vengeance kept her strong. Every man wanted her and she wanted no one. Not even the guy who was bending over backwards to help her. You know, the guy who risked his life to rescue her for no other reason than because of the goodness in his heart. But I digress. Together these two make a haphazard plan to wreak havoc and it was entertaining to watch.
While this wasn’t my favorite book of the series, because it’s practically impossible to beat my love for Nick in Ricochet, I loved getting to know Dax better. In all honesty, he deserved more than what Nicoletta had to offer. I was unable to form any kind of connection to her but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the heck out of this book. And that epilogue Made. My. Day! With the calibre of stories found in this series, Keri Lake has found herself a loyal fan in me!
Stunning, dark, emotional and addicting!!!
Dark and twisty romance doesn’t get much better than this!!!! I was sucked in, chewed up and spit back out, and I immediately wanted to do it all over again. ~from my review of Ricochet
Another stunner from the fabulous Keri Lake. Keri has become one of those rare authors whose words speak directly to my soul. I want to wrap myself in them and just revel in their beauty and pain. Any lover of dark romance needs to have this author on their must read list. ~from my review of Backfire
These two excerpts of my previous reviews of Keri’s books, not only sum up my feelings about those books but extend to this one as well! My heart feels as though it’s lodged in the back of my throat. I’m literally fighting back the emotion while trying to make sense of it all. Keri has ended this series exquisitely and my tattered emotions are proof of it.
Keri’s talent continually blows me away. This woman has the uncanny ability to take me right to the edge of too much and always, always pulls me back at just the right moment. There are damn few authors I trust to do this, but Keri is one them. As dark, twisted and heart wrenching as her stories are, there is always and underlying feeling of rightness, of hope, and light.
Where to start? I read this book in one sitting. I hadn’t planned on it. Nope, I figured I’d start it before bed and pick it back up sometime today… Sunday reading, right?
Wrong… so wrong. Do not pick up this book if you a) go to bed to read and intend on going to sleep at a reasonable hour or b) have plans for anything that day – you WILL not be putting this book down once you start it.
Dax… oh Dax. I locked onto him when he turned up in an earlier book and was curious, hoped he’d get his own book, so was pretty excited when I found out his book was on the way.
I’m trying very hard to write this review without spoilers because I don’t want anything to ruin the roller-coaster ride that is Ballistic.
Dax lives up to every hint, every promise, every taste we were given and then some. HE IS PERFECT! (Not flawless, never flawless… he is perfectly Dax).
Nic is the perfect counter-balance. Brilliantly broken in so many ways. So tough, yet so fragile.
The story is as dark and twisted as you expect when you pick up a book by Keri Lake. Delving into the darkness of humanity (a term I use very loosely), the underworld that lives just beyond the eyesight of everyday life.
Ballistic did not disappoint. It delivers everything and more.
The final book in the vigilante series tied it all together and left me with a feeling of contentment. I had been eagerly awaiting Dax’s and Nicoletta’s story since the moment they locked eyes when she was taken away in Backfire, making it his mission to rescue her. As always Keri has a special talent for making us feel like we are part of the story and feeling everything that these characters feel as well. It was action packed and full of emotion. I can always count on Keri to throw in twists that I don’t see coming, the mark of a brilliant author! Another great series you don’t want to miss.
4.5 Stars
The moment Dax Wolfe saw a young woman slipped away into a lion’s den, he made it his mission to save her. His quest became an obsession fed by vengeance that would only be sated by street justice.
Nicoleta never had an easy life. Growing up, she had to learn to defend herself in order to survive. When she got tangled with dangerous people, she must find a way to free herself before it took her on a road she couldn’t come back from.
Dax and Nicoleta were two tortured souls and I like how they could connect through their dark pasts. She surprised me because I didn’t expect her character to go into the direction the author took her. I like how both of them had to keep up with each other.
I love the overall storyline with the unpredictable directions. However, there were several circumstances that I felt didn’t fully connect or resolved.
One of my favorite aspects of the author’s writing is the grittiness and the actions in her stories. Some parts of the book were dark and graphic, might not be easy for everyone to read. It was enough to give an impact without going overboard.
Ballistic is a tale of retribution and finding closure. It would appeal to readers who enjoy romance with an edge.
I’ve waited excitedly for Dax and Nicoleta’s story for months, and OMG, the gem Keri Lake delivered was everything I expected, and then more!
Dax has been looking for Nicoleta for almost one year after she was abducted by Tesarik, her father’s enemy. When he enventualy tracks her down in one of Tesarik’s compound of sorts, starts a frantic manhunt in the depths of Detroit. The atmosphere is dark, a true emotional rollercoaster with highs and so many lows I almost wondered how worse things could get. The answer: way darker than I thought. Ballistic treats with difficult matters: rape, child abuse, drugs, and more than I won’t name here as they could spoil the brilliant plot. And to say brilliant is an understatement!!!
OMG the author totally blew my mind with this crazy storyline, twists, turns and revelations that had my head spinning in the best way ever. The bigger picture is simply beautiful. The intricate story gives the reader so many details, and by the end, bam, when everythings eventually clicks into place, I smiled so big at Keri Lake’s talent!
Fast paced, adrenaline infused, Nicoleta and Dax’s story also broke my heart and might even have contributed to the global warming with some extremely steamy moments. Ahhh…I wanna watch the sunset from the booktower rooftop, too (*wink*)!!! These two lost souls are totally messed up, both fighting their demons, and looking for vengeance. Nicoleta shows a resilience mixed with determination, rendering her almost unstoppable in her quest. But what I love the most in such a badass heroine is the moment when she let’s her walls down. Dax showed her what love is; that good bad guy, caring and protecting, dangerous wolf had me swooning, utterly enticed by his complex personality. His and Nicoleta’s story was a complicated and painful journey, one I adored exploring and that had me on pins and needles all along.
Two broken people brought together by a dark and tragic turn of events. The saying goes ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ and I fully believe that is their motto. Dax is the dark and mysterious vigilante of the night. His reasons are his own as is his cause. And Nicoleta Is on her own mission. A mission that takes her places no one wants to go of their own free will. When you get these two broken souls together you get one force that is destined for something. Something strong. Something beautiful. Something tragic. Apart it feels that these two are just that. Tragically broken, looking for their way. Looking for their place. Looking to right so many wrongs. But what is real and what isn’t. When one is faced with so many tragedies it becomes difficult to separate real from fantasy. At least that’s how I feel. Sometimes we take what has been done to us, or others, and evolve it into our own creation. This was an edge of your seat read that I could not put down!
Did not see that coming!
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to toss my Kindle or hug my pillow –
Ballistic was packed with fist clenching -breath holding – jaw dropping ‘OMG No’ moments – from the opening scene of Nicoleta that spotlighted her predicament (and had me closing my eyes thinking the horror would go away) to the subtle twists that slowly peeled back the hidden layers exposing truths that left me startled and wanting to go back in search of subtle clues I may have missed – I am not spoiling this !
This was the last book in this series and for me not quite as emotional as the previous books but still an intense read – Dax is definitely a force to be reckoned with, nothing is going to get in the way of his quest to “save” Nicoleta. And he has quite the obstructions in his way. Nicoleta it turns out is a bit of a complicated character – I enjoyed her, she was a tough cookie. I just found that I wanted to smack her upside the head almost constantly. She didn’t always think clearly before acting but then again her emotions, like Dax, are driven by revenge
This series is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a raw and intense romantic suspense.
Keri Lake’s Vigilantes series has been one of the best series I have EVER read. The sexy, mysterious and thrilling stories launch you on an adrenaline pumping ride that I’m sad to see end. But what a ride it was! I have loved this series from Nick and Aubree to Dax and Nicoleta. It’s magnificent conclusion in Ballistic was beyond amazing. I loved Dax and the provocative connection between him and Nicoleta which will no doubt make Ballistic a top favorite book of 2018 for sure.
Without giving away any spoilers, this story is an intense and thrilling ride from the get go. If you have read this series before you’re familiar with Dax Wolfe but now we have a front row seat to his in-depth quest to kill Tesarik and find Nicoleta. Lake did a marvelous job highlighting Dax’s relentless search for the mystery amber-eyed girl and the past ghost she represents in his life. But when he found her he could never have expected what state she would be in and the quest she would take him on.
I LOVED this story. It was gritty, shocking, twisted and dark but more importantly it was vivid, sexy and realistic. Dax and Nicoleta were so full of torment but so well suited. They each saw a kindred spirit in one another which was beautiful and uplifting. In addition, I loved that throughout the series in its entirety, Lake uses her exceptional talent to paint a realistic picture of Detroit’s dark and gritty underbelly surrounded by violence and spine-tingling moments. But her ability to highlight and showcase love ultimately rising out of the ashes of pain and torment continuously place her on a pedestal in my eyes. I fall in love with her stories and the prevalent feelings of hope and healing each time and I know this one will stay with me for a long time! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
Keri Lake sure knows how to finish with a bang! Damn this ending!!
Ballistic is the last book in the vigilante series and I have to say I’m a bit sad to let this one go. I’ve followed Keri ever since Ricochet has been released and Dax’s story was IMO the most brutal. All books are dark but this one hit me stronger than the others have.
If you’ve read Keri’s books before you know her plot will keep you on your toes until the last minute and this one was no different. I thought I had it all figured until BAM a twist I didn’t see coming appeared and made me rethink all I knew!
Nicoletta was the strongest heroine I’ve seen in the series. She survived hell over and over again and now it’s time for payback. On her way to revenge she can count on Dax who has been looking for her for more than a year!
These two together have the same purpose but a different path and different ways of acting. They will have to meet in the middle and understand each other to find a common ground.
The intensity of the book keep growing with each page you turn. The level of disgust is unimaginable. I’m talking about the worst of the worst. The only light, if I may say, was the growing attraction of two people needing each other to find a little of solace.
Dax was not the guy I was expecting. Powerful and rough on the outside, he’s such a beautiful and kind soul. Driven by a strong moral he’s a vigilante taking things into his own hands when needed to be. Several times when reading I wish there would be more men like him in the world. I couldn’t resist him if I wanted and you won’t either.
Ballistic was one hell of a ride where dark meets light, where revenge is the only way out and where two tortured souls get to finally find some peace.
I have been waiting years for this book; the wait was well worth it. Ballistic is not for the faint hearted. It’s gory, bloody, dark, graphic and also amazing. It’s beautiful too despite all the bad shit that goes down.
When Dax and Nicoleta were first introduced in Backfire I had a picture in my mind of what their story would be like and this book was nothing like that it was sooooo much better. It’s multi-layered and twisty, I loved that most of twists blindsided me. I just loved the way the author crafted this story, mixing the present with glimpses of their pasts added depth to the characters bringing them more fully to life in the reader’s mind.
I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this dark, twisty and action-packed tale.
Copy provided by author
Dax Wolfe is looking for someone from his past. He finds a girl named Nicoleta & helps her escape a human trafficking ring run by the Seventh Circle. She wants vengeance for a friend. Dax wants the leader of the trafficking ring. Can these two help each other find what the other wants? Dax feels a pull toward Nicoleta however, with all that she has been through he doesn’t want to act on it. Can he control himself? This book will have you turning the pages to find out what happens next. A great suspenseful, action packed vigilante romance. This is one wild ride! Told in dual POV
Ballistic is the final book in the Vigilantes series. Each book is a stand alone but as I’ve said before it’s best to read them in order to get the full experience of this dark, gritty world Keri has created. Like all the previous books in this series Ballistic was a hard read at times and while the other books had the H’s seeking vengeance this time it’s the h. Dax has been looking for Nicoleta for a year after being so close to rescuing her from traffickers that use females in the most depraved ways. While Dax doesn’t know Nicoleta he is obsessed with finding her. I can’t begin to explain how much I loved this book. From beginning to end I was on edge, and just when I thought I had it all figured out I was wrong. This book had so many twist that I didn’t see coming. Nicoleta had such a hard life and just expected that everyone wanted to use her. Dax’s life wasn’t easy either but together they were perfect. The Epilogue had me in tears, it’s something that I had hoped for and when it came true my heart was full.
***ARC provided by Author***