She thought she was finally safe, But her past won’t let her go. Sheriff’s deputy Tanner Dempsey is just doing his job when he stops a shoplifter trying to steal diapers and formula. But something about this frightened young woman makes him want to do more. Bree Daniels is grateful for Tanner’s help, but there’s so much she can never tell him… The truth is dangerous to everyone she lets into … everyone she lets into her life–and could be lethal to Tanner.
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Janie always delivers an excellent story with wonderful, memorable characters. 🙂
I really enjoyed the opportunity to read this book! Great characters, great storyline, and some lovely looks at past characters from the LTS seies. Bree is strong and insanely smart, while Tanner is perceptive, protective and loyal to a fault! I fell in love with them both, as well as Cheryl and Dan Andrews, the owners and operators of the loca diner. I am so looking forward to meeting more of the local townspeople in coming books!
5.0 out of 5 starsWow, just Wow.
June 19, 2019
Calculated Risk was an amazing start to a new series. I love the way this author writes. She makes the story and characters so vivid and in depth that they make the story come to life. The story is a riveting thrill ride that you won’t want to get off of. Although, I love all of this talented authors books this is my absolute favorite. It is non stop suspense, intrigue and danger from the beginning until the end. I can’t wait to read what happens next in this amazing series.
Calculated Risk is a great start to another page-turner of a series from Janie Crouch. This one focuses on one couple throughout the series, but we still get a conclusion at the end of the book, so it’s a win-win, especially since I really want more of Bree and Tanner. This first book felt like it just touched the tip of the iceberg of their relationship, so I’ll be interested to see what’s next for them. As far as this book, we know what the big bad is but not everyone is who they seem, and the tension level steadily rises as the story progresses – something this author has proven quite good at. We even get a twist or two and a bit of heart-racing danger along the way to keep the blood pumping. To sum it up, Calculated Risk has everything I’ve come to expect from this author – suspense, danger, a thought provoking storyline, and a bit of romance to spice things up. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this couple.
This story is the first in the author’s new series .
The story centers around Bree Daniels and Tanner Dempsey.
Bree has been on the run for years from The Company, a group that hides behind a charity, but is really about to take over the world , and not in a good way, using technology. She was a computer prodigy before her escape, and fears she’s still being hunted.
On the run , while she’s shoplifting for a set of twins who aren’t hers. she meets Tanner, the law enforcement captain of a small town. He is intrigued by her but let’s her go free, until he meets her again.
The story in engaging and the characters complex. A little different from other stories by this author in that there is more action and less romance. Though the story has an ending, there is still an opening for future stories. I wonder how these two will be involved in other books in the series.
That said, it’s an entertaining story and one worth your time.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
Calculated Risk is the start of a new four-book series and if this book is anything to go by, the series is going to be off-the-charts amazing! This is a fast-paced read that sucks you in from the first page. There is an air of urgency in every action Bree takes and a constant threat of danger hanging over her head that has followed her around from childhood; one misstep is all it would take for her life to be over so she has to be very thorough, calculated, and detailed in every move she makes. My heart ached for her when she was retelling events from her past. It was extremely telling and insightful into the woman she has grown into. She is definitely an interesting character and even though several details were shared about her past, it still feels like there is more to know so I hope more will be revealed in the future installments of the series.
Bree and Tanner had great chemistry and a sweet romance building and I look forward to seeing how it progresses in future books. I loved the fact that the romance was not immediate or forced into the fray of everything else going on in the story. The slow pace Crouch has started for their relationship fits perfectly under the circumstances and is relatable and believable.
There is plenty of excitement and a lot of laughs in this exciting adventure. The characters are down to earth and likable and Crouch does a wonderful job with the plot. It is well-written with a continuous buildup of suspense and keeps you engaged until the end. I could not turn the pages fast enough in this story.
There is so much to say but I do not want to say more to avoid spoilers. Overall this is a fantastic read and I cannot wait to see what is in store next for Bree and Tanner.
*I received an advanced copy from the author and am voluntarily providing my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
While the beginning was a bit slow in my opinion; oh not really lacking action as we are immediately in the heat of the action but we get too much missing info to immediately connect to the character, i really loved this book. The intrigue is interesting and believable , the characters are touching with their troubled quite secret past so we are easily won over. Bree is a courageous heroine, she spent most of her life on the run and thus she has trusting issues but deep down she will take risks for what she believes is right.
Tanner is a protective alpha….he is immediately drawn to Bree even more seeing how vulnerable she is and how lost she seems to be with the little babies in her arms. His instinct though is telling him that trouble are around and thus he must make choice.
I can’t say a lot more to avoid spoiler but i sure like the people of the city and i couldn’t resist smiling at Corfu’s mentions hoping to hear more about the dog….even better we get a little mention of Omega team, the other series from Janie Crouch i really love and we see a bit of the team…very little since we focus on Bree and Tanner but it was very good to have the light link.
It’s the first series of Janie that will focus only on one couple and i really can’t wait to see more of Bree and Tanner and see how they “grow” together . It’s really promising and i loved that there was not a cliffhanger, the intrigue of this book feel complete.
The only things i could put on the less good elements list is that i guessed one of the villains too easily ( but then i’m really good at this exercise and we only get confirmation later). And the fact that like i say the beginning is a bit slow/confusing with Bree but it’s only the first chapters because after the pieces click together and we get a larger image of the situation and we are immersed into the story
All together it’s a very good romance suspense, easily read , and a promising start of a series.
To be honest I didn’t know if I would like this book. With it being a 4 part series I was worried about cliffhangers. But I’m here to say I love it! I’m so glad Janie Crouch put the Linear Tactical guys in this book, and also mentioned Omega Sector. If you haven’t read the series you should. Breed and Tanner are great characters and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series now. Janie Crouch has always written great stories and this is the next great series for her.
4.5 stars
Calculated Risk was a race from the start and had me turning pages as fast as my fingers could handle! I loved Bree and Tanner’s sweet chemistry and thought the infant twins in Bree’s care were a cute touch. The townsfolk of Risk Peak were a friendly and very overprotective bunch, and I was cracking up over the town’s reaction when Tanner made a very…unpopular…decision regarding Bree.
However, the suspense! The suspense definitely wins the cake over the romance this go around! Crouch did a wonderful job with the build up of the villain’s twisted communications plot and delivered a satisfying result. Because of her wild scheming, Janie even had me giving my phone a side eye a time or two! Then again, I’m also convinced Alexa is secretly listening when she randomly speaks in a silent house…
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
CALCULATED RISK is the first instalment in Janie Crouch’s contemporary, adult BREE AND TANNER THRILLER romantic, suspense series focusing on thirty-three year old, sheriff’s deputy captain Tanner Dempsey, and twenty-four year old, computer genius Bree Daniels aka Bethany Malone. There is a slight cross-over with the author’s Linear Tactical series.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Bree and Tanner) CALCULATED RISK follows Bree Daniels, a young woman on the run, but a woman whose life is about to become more complicated. A secret message begging for help finds Bree in possession of her cousin Melissa Weathers’ twins, as she struggles to find food and shelter before it’s too late. Enter Risk Peak, Colorado’s sheriff’s deputy Tanner Dempsey, and the man with whom Bree will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Bree and Tanner, and the potential fall-out as Bree’s past demands payment and more.
Bree Daniels’ has never known peace and quiet. A child genius and prodigy Bree would become the pawn for a terrorist ‘Organization’ determined to control the world by funnelling information to radical groups and revolutionary governments. When Melissa begs for help, Bree knows her whereabouts and safety have been compromised again. Tanner Dempsey knows Bree is lying about the who, how and why of her current circumstance but the people of Risk Peak take Bree under their wing in an attempt to protect a young woman who would become their own.
The relationship between Bree and Tanner is one of immediate attraction but Bree is in no place to start a relationship or fall in love. Tanner wants nothing more than to protect the woman with whom he will fall in love but a woman whose secrets are about to come crashing into the town of Risk Peak, Colorado. There are no $ex scenes-at this point their relationship is only beginning.
We are introduced to a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters: Bree’s cousin Melissa Weathers, and her twins Christian and Beth; Tanner’s brother former Special Forces soldier Noah Dempsey; Linear tactical security specilists Zac Mackay, and Gavin Zimmerman; sheriff’s deputy Ronnie Kitchens ; sheriff’s inter-county task force on communications member Scott Watson ; construction worker Bill Steele; owners of the Sunset Diner Cheryl and Dan Andrews; Organization head Michael Jeter.
CALCULATED RISK is a story of suspense, intrigue, betrayal and power. The premise is captivating and compelling; the romance is subtle; the characters are energetic and dynamic. CALCULATED RISK is a fantastic start to a new series.
I love this series by Janie Crouch! I started it on book four and I’m so glad I went back and started it at the beginning. This was another devour it in one night kind of book and while I’m a little tired this morning, it was totally worth it!
I love Bree. She’s the perfect heroine in that she’s tough, knows she has to be strong, doesn’t complain, and just gets things done. She might need a little help to do it, but it isn’t because she didn’t try.
Tanner. Sigh. A definite good guy who’s willing to do anything to help Bree and her babies, regardless of how she came to be in Risk Peak.
I love that this series is a slow burn and that I always have another one to look forward to. If you love Harlequin Intrigues then you definitely want to start the Risk Series today!
I won this entire series of books at a Facebook party. I’m so glad I did, because I wouldn’t have known about such a great author otherwise!
The writing in this first book pulls the reader in. Ms. Crouch has an easy way of describing settings, characters, and emotions that keep you reading along. I recently finished reading Outfox by Sandra Brown, but it didn’t entice me to read as much as this book did!
First off, I enjoyed the characters. Bree’s dilemma was thought out extremely well, and made believable by the author’s descriptions and the characters’ actions. I like Bree’s awkwardness. I could empathize with her.
Tanner is the hot cop who takes Bree under his wing, and eventually into his bed (but not in the way you think. This is a very clean book). The way he slowly gains Bree’s trust is memorable and swoon worthy. He is a hero women will want to meet in real life.
I really can’t find anything to criticize in this book, which to me makes it a 5-star read. I prefer some sex in my books, but the plot and characters carried the action without it. The sexual tension runs throughout the length of the story, and into the next one, which I am currently reading. I am so glad I won this series from Janie Crouch! I will be reading more from her, and you should, too.
What an exciting start to a series. It was fast paced, full of action and suspense. The storyline sucked me in from the start. I couldn’t put my kindle down till I finished the whole book.
Tanner and Bree are wonderful characters. I can’t wait to read more about them
First book in a new series. Fast paced, grabs you from the first sentence. Loved Tanner’s character and Bree’s strength. All in all kept me interested from the beginning to the end.
Bree Daniels has been living off the grid ever since she escaped from The Organization with her mother when she was a child. They wanted her for her hacker skills. The Organization is not what it seems, and they use the Communication for All Charity Group for nefarious purposes. One night she is given her cousin’s twin infants to take care of as they are in danger. Now afraid she will be found, Bree goes on the run. She is good at that. Eventually she ends up at Risk’s Peak. She is running low on cash and tries to shoplift formula and diapers. Sheriff’s Deputy Tanner Dempsey feels sorry for her and instead of arresting her, pays for the items. He sees that Bree looks tired and hungry and tells her to go to the Sunrise Diner for some food and put it on his tab. Bree is exhausted and stops for just a little while. She nearly passes out and the owners offer her food and a place to stay. Cheryl and Dan Andrews are the owners of the diner and offer Bree a job and a place to stay. She hoped that she had some time to lay low before she had to leave again. She was afraid that Tanner, the Andrews and the other town folks would be hurt by The Organization as they hunted her. Bree and the twins are accepted and protected by Tanner, the Andrews, the townsfolk and Tanner’s Special Forces friends as they work to bring down The Organization.
Wow, this was some story. It was fast paced and suspenseful. I couldn’t put the book down. I felt sad when Bree tells Tanner about what she went through in her childhood while with the Organization and what her life was like with her mother once they escaped. Tanner is patient and protective of Bree and the twins. Soon she begins to trust him but is still fearful that he will be hurt when they come after her. I liked how the town embraced and protected Bree and the twins too. The other characters in the book add to the suspense in the story. Ms Crouch has us looking at them with suspicion until it is revealed whether they are friend or foe. This is the first book in this series and I absolutely can not wait until the next books in this series.
This is book one in The Risk Series: A Bree & Tanner Thriller. She’s been running for more than half of her life, from a danger most wouldn’t believe. Only now, at 24, it’s not only her but her and two babies. Luckily she ends up in Risk Peak where Tanner is deputy captain of the sheriff’s office. It’s hard to trust someone who you KNOW is lying. It’s also hard to tell someone the truth when all you’ve EVER been able to trust is family.
The story line was excellent! The characters were well developed and each had purpose. This story takes you on an EXHILARATING thrill ride! Who are the good guys and who are the bad? The climax of this story was FANTASTIC! It felt like you could finally take that breath you’d been holding onto since early on in the book. I can’t wait for the next one!
This is an intense, intriguing, dramatic, suspenseful and romantic story. Bree is a terrified woman on the run with two babies. Tanner is a sheriff’s department captain who meets Bree when she’s trying to shoplift diapers and formula. He pays for her stuff and she leaves, but not from his head. A week later he finds her working at a diner. He knows that she’s running scared, but can’t get her to confide in him about it. The more they get to know each other, the more they like each other, but know that nothing can come from it, because Bree doesn’t allow people in, and Tanner knows there’s more to her than she’s telling. The organization that Bree is running from has technology that is scary and totally believable. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.
Loved this suspenseful romance from the first page to the last! This new series is off to a great start and Tanner and Bree are fantastic characters. I’m so glad their story doesn’t end in this book and that there will be more of their story! This book was full of action, suspense, danger and intrigue and kept me thoroughly entertained. Can’t wait for the next book!
Bree Daniels is a woman on the run along with two babies. She won’t be a victim of the organization that kept her prisoner when she was a child. I admired her determination and her courage. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to not to be able to trust people. Risk Peak is a beautiful location filled with good people. I’m glad that she met Tanner Dempsey there. He’s a member of their sheriff’s department. I admired how he helped Bree when he saw her shoplifting. His kindness and patience showed what a good person he was. I’m glad that Bree decided to trust Tanner. They work well together, but I wasn’t sure if they would be able to stop such a powerful enemy. Janie Crouch kept me on the edge of my seat. It frightened me how realistic this story was. Calculate Risk was suspenseful and filled with nonstop action and a shocking twist. I’m looking forward to the next story in the Risk series.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.
A favorite author of mine once again scores another suspenseful series and I am sitting back and enjoying the “ride”.
This starts a series of books involving/featuring the main characters Deputy Tanner Dempsey and Bree Daniels.
In the beginning of this Harlequin Intrigue story Bree Daniels was entrusted in protecting and caring for her cousins very young infant twins.
Bree Daniels knows nothing in caring for a child much less two infant babies.
Bree Daniels has been of the run for a couple of years, after escaping from a nefarious organization that was exploiting her skills as a hacker. The reason the organization continues to leave no stone unturned to try and recapture her is because of her incredible/exceptional hacking/coding skills.
Bree tries to stay incognito and under the wire using only cash for all her transactions, but her dwindling cash flow has come to a slow end.
Not realizing how much it cost for her to live and care for the twins she has been reduced to sneaking into hotels for “free” food and “borrowing” food/groceries from stores.
Desperate to “borrow” food from the store for formula and other necessities for the twins Deputy Tanner Dempsey observes her actions.
Instead of arresting her, Tanner purchases the items and tells her there are programs that can assist her in the care of her children.
Before driving off Tanner tells her to stop at the Sunrise Diner and grab a bite to eat and tell them to put it on his tab.
Tanner can’t shake the feeling that there is something that Bree is not telling him.
The plot thickens and the suspense is building non-stop.
As the weeks go by, staying under the wire, she is aided by Tanner and some of the citizens of the town.
The story will grab at you and as the spine tingling plot unfolds, you will be disappointed when you come to THE END of Calculated Risk.
This storyline will appeal to anyone any age who likes to read intrigue, suspense and romance in their books.
It will have you put on your thinking cap and try to figure out what is going on.
Oh yes, the icing on the cake is when Tanner makes a reference to the Omega Sector (from the Omega series).
While waiting to read the next book in this series be sure to check out the other series of books this talented author has written.
I have enjoyed reading all of this authors books—the Omega series, the Linear Tactical series (this series is taken up a notch and is still ongoing) and now the series featuring Tanner and Bree in the Harlequin Intrigue.
I truly enjoy reading her books and I am sure you will too.
Happy reading.