“Juno Rushdan is the real deal. Every Last Breath is an electric combination of heart-stopping thriller and swoon-worthy romance.”—LEXI BLAKE, New York Times bestselling author48 hours, 2 covert operatives, 1 chance to get it right Maddox Kinkade is an expert at managing the impossible. Tasked with neutralizing a lethal bioweapon, she turns to the one person capable of helping her stop the threat … turns to the one person capable of helping her stop the threat of pandemic in time: the love of her life, back from the dead and mad as hell at her supposed betrayal. Recruiting Cole to save millions of lives may be harder than resisting the attraction still burning between them, but Maddox will do whatever it takes…even if it destroys her.
When Maddox crashes back into Cole Matthews’ life, he wants to fight back. He wants to hate her. But the crisis is too strong to ignore, and soon the two former lovers find themselves working side-by-side in a breakneck race to stop a world-class killer with a secret that could end everything.
The clock is ticking.
A race-against-time romantic thriller, perfect for fans of JD Robb and Mary Burton!
The Final Hour Series:
Every Last Breath (Book 1)
Nothing to Fear (Book 2)
Until the End (coming early 2020)
What People Are Saying About Juno Rushdan:
“Tense and fulfilling. Settle back and savor this one.”— STEVE BERRY, New York Times bestselling author
“Fast-paced, intense, and sexy—a must-read romantic suspense!”—CYNTHIA EDEN, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
“A fast-paced, spine-tingling thriller you won’t want to put down!”—LAURA GRIFFIN, New York Times bestselling author
“An unputdownable thrill ride.”—LEXI BLAKE, New York Times bestselling author
“A romantic thriller that handily juggles emotional intensity and a heart-pounding, James Bond-ian adventure.”—Kirkus
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Tense and fulfilling. Settle back and savor this one.
Be prepared not to be able to put this book down, read well into the night, and be blown away by Juno Rushdan’s Every Last Breath ( Final Hour #1). This is the first book by this author that I have read, and I am looking forward to reading more of her books. Every Last Breath is the first book in the up-and-coming new series, Final Hour.
Every Last Breath is perfectly balanced with intense nonstop action, a plot thick with intrigue and suspense, woven with deception and betrayal, where loyalties will be tested and of course heart-pounding romance. I was surprisingly delighted that the thriller aspect and the bioterrorist plot is not overrun by the romance but perfectly intertwined in this book.
This book was well written, paid attention to detail, and the main characters and the secondary characters were all well developed. I loved the vast range of dialogue between Maddox and Cole; it is barbed, hurtful, soft and caring and intensely hot and steamy. I loved Maddox, and I found her to be smart, bold, loyal and every bit as kickass as the men that surrounded her without losing her soft feminine side. Cole is the son of a Russian crime boss, and he is the epitome of the alpha male, intelligent, determined and incredibly hot. However, he too is struggling with his demons from the past.
Our two main characters Maddox and Cole have a tangled past, things between them are tainted, broken and complicated. They haven’t seen each other in nine years, and then they are thrown together by circumstances that are out of their control, to work together, to bring down a madman who is hell-bent on taking his revenge out on the United States by way of a biological weapon.
I don’t want to reveal too much of the storyline; therefore I will stop here. Usually, I don’t like to compare authors, but in my humble opinion I feel that Ms.Rushdan has earned her self a top spot in the thriller genre right alongside the “big boys.” This book will keep you reading to the very last page and then dangle you right on the edge of the proverbial book cliff, setting you up for the next book in the series. I for one am looking forward to reading the next book in this series, Nothing to Fear, due to be published late August 2019. I know that if you give this book a chance, it will take you on a wild thrill ride you will not soon forget.
***I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion .***
I was intrigued by the author’s background as a former U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer. Would bring such amazing real-life experience to this book and she certainly delivered it.
Every scene was well though out, I love the strong kickass heroine in Maddox, and it was a unique plot. Will definitely read more from Juno.
I couldn’t put this one down! At first the romance between Maddox and Cole seems a but dramatic but later on, they grew on me specially because of Maddox being such a bad ass heroine. Also the action scenes were intense and there were a lot of bruises for both of them which makes this a bit realistic (lots of violence) I loved the plot line and the twists and turns it keeps you guessing where it was all going to end!
CW: past late-term miscarriage, grief
Every Last Breath is an impressive romantic suspense debut. Filled with twists and turns, the fast pace still allowed for plenty of character development and the romance balanced with the action. The latter is important to me as a reader. I don’t want to be worried about characters who are making out when they should be focused on safety but I also don’t want the plot to neglect their love story. In this case, I’m sure Rushdan’s real life experience as a former military intelligence officer came in handy and it helped me trust her characters would come out fine in the end.
This is also a second chance romance. Maddox believed her almost-fiancé died nine years ago, only to find he’s very much alive while out on a mission. A mission in which she needs his cooperation in order to prevent a pandemic from happening. Cole, on the other hand, is pissed. He thought Maddox betrayed him all those years ago and he’s not going to make working together easier on her.
Complicating all this is that Maddox is a covert operative for Gray Box, a secret government outfit and she was wrapping up college back when she and Cole dated. He has no idea how capable she is in the field or what a kickass woman she’s become. And it should stay that way: secret government organizations are supposed to stay a secret. I loved how Maddox navigated this issue. I loved both of these characters. They are both tremendously strong and have overcome so much to get to where they are. If you love books about people who are excellent at their jobs, this is the book for you.
Cole and Maddox have so much history to overcome but they were very much in love before everything went awry and their chemistry is still intact. It’s so clear to the reader that they’re good together, both in and out of the bedroom, and it’s just a matter of whether they’ll take a chance on each other. Cole can be harsh with her at times but it makes sense given what he believes. And Maddox tries to protect her heart because of what she experienced after his presumed death. The story deals very frankly with her late-term miscarriage and grief, which is good to see on page but may be triggering to some. It was refreshing to see how Cole’s grief was handled once he learned what had happened, as men’s grief over miscarriage can be minimized and often isn’t acknowledged at all.
I don’t want to spoil the plot because there are so many great twists and turns to experience. But I do want to mention a couple of things about the villain I found interesting. This made me think about the evolution of Bad Guys in books/TV/movies. We’re back to the Russians/Eastern Europeans and that feels true to life. But the story delves into our complicity with what has happened in those countries. There’s a reason so many countries hate the US and we need to deal with that. Despite what the villain plans to do, which is heinous, he has a strong code of honor. It really humanizes him. I prefer not to have any POV from villains in my books but I will admit the brief insights we get from him added to the tension and pacing.
While the main mystery of this book is wrapped up, there’s a larger arc for the series that ends on a cliffhanger. There’s a double agent at Gray Box and I cannot wait to find out who it is. Bring on book 2!
CW: assassinations, attempted murder, violence, kidnapping, hostages, threat of pandemic, past death of loved ones, past late-term miscarriage (cervical incompetence), reference to past panic attacks, grief, psychiatric hospitalization due to depression and grief, prejudice/racism, brief reference to past diagnosis of child leukemia (appears to be in remission), reference to 9/11
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review.
The first book in Juno Rushdan’s “Final Hour” series is a must-read for anyone who loves smart, action-packed romantic suspense. I found myself holding my breath several times, wondering how her protagonist, Maddox Kinkade, would get herself out of the sticky situations she found herself in. I loved everything about this book and cannot wait until the next story, NOTHING TO FEAR, is released. I highly recommend this great novel!
Juno Rushdan debut was a good start. I did find it more suspense, mystery, with action than the romance that I was looking for.
I found the suspense the best part of it all. Not knowing and waiting to watch it all unfold. Will she get Cole to help? Will they work past their issues? Will they neutralize the weapon? Why would someone do this? Where will it all lead? This was one for me to turn slowly and absorb.
Honesty from The Book Junkie Reads . . . if you are looking for romance then you will feel like you are being sold a bag of bad goods. If you are looking for something more then you have found it. This was in-deed a suspense in the making and the deep shadows that you think you see or not are still there. There are deep characters, plots, and more. For a beginning this was a nice place to start. Maddox and Cole need more time.
Fast-paced, intense, and sexy ― a must-read romantic suspense!
A fast-paced, spine-tingling thriller you won’t want to put down!
EVERY LAST BREATH by Juno Rushdan is book One in the Final Hour Series. This is the story of Cole Matthews and Maddox Kinkade.
Maddox is a tough women who is a part of the black ops unit. Maddox thought Cole was dead which broker her heart because she loved him and she has grieved for years over him. But now she learns that he isn’t dead and he thinks she might have been a part of the betrayal that was done to him. Of course their feelings and attraction is going on full force, but can they get past their feelings where both felt they were wronged? There is evil nemesis who is lurking in the shadows that adds to the drama of this story. I really enjoyed this second chance at love and the page turning story line. Hope to read more from this author.
HOLY WILD RIDE! Every Last Breath might be Juno Rushdan’s first step into romantic suspense but it did not show at all. This spy games romance was dangerous and never took its foot off the gas. The opening alone gave me the big eyes and had me questioning exactly what I had gotten myself into.
There was something about Maddox that made me root for her. Maybe it was her being a woman in a mans world. Maybe it was the way she wore her bravery on her sleeve. Maybe it was her broken heart that still beat for Cole. And when it turns out Cole isn’t dead, just hiding in plain sight, and very much a vital part of stopping a disaster, it was Maddox who was called upon to get his help.
These two had a lot of issues to work through. The fallout of their relationship being the biggest one (besides Cole being alive). With tensions high and the threat of catastrophe looming, they had to put their feelings on the back burner to get the job done. Except it wasn’t that easy for the old lovers. Because despite the betrayal, lies and deception, that flame still burned bright. And when Maddox is put in the cross hairs of a madman, it was Cole who couldn’t keep a level head.
I found the mystery and danger of Every Last Breath spot on. The romance, however, was a bit lacking. It was obvious they cared for each other, even if a lot of it was animosity at first. I just wanted to feel more of the emotional connection between Maddox and Cole because their sexual chemistry was off the charts.
I will say that Juno Rushdan did a good job of setting up this series. The cast of characters that surround Maddox were pretty great and only added to the depth of the story. And that ending- holy smokes! I have my guess, but honestly no clue and am looking forward to see that part of the story continue in the series.
Every Last Breath is one of the best books I’ve read in years. Juno Rushdan is an exciting new voice in romantic suspense. Do not miss this action-packed sexy thriller!
She betrayed him and now she needs him. Together they need to stop a bio-terrorist within 48 hours. There are adrenaline rush thrillers out there, but it takes a delft hand to write solid layers of background, setting, description, characterization, and complex plotting so that a villain has personality and depth and a spec ops team has camaraderie and heart while, best of all, a sizzling romance pair can nearly destroy each other and nine years later stand side by side and back to back. Oh, and did I mention this was a debut novel?
Every Last Breath centers around a top secret agency getting the assignment to stop the sale and use of biological weapon. Maddox heads the team and her first task is to recruit a man who has every reason to hate her and want nothing to do with the mission. She was his fiance and she betrayed him. Then, she thought he died because of what she did and she’s been an ice-cold operative who lives for her job ever since. When her in to get to the private auction for the bio-weapon involves cozying up to the man she betrayed, she knows that only the truth will do even though a web of lies is her stock in trade. Can she lead this mission and not let it get personal?
Cole finds himself agreeing to do his part to help Maddox’s team and he plans to stay angry and distant after what she did to him and his family, but she’s not that same girl who made the choice to betray him. She’s a razor sharp, confident woman who has her own anger on for him letting her think he was dead all this time. But, the personal stuff has to be stowed away because they have a job to do and he’s pretty sure that her precious agency has a mole the way the target knows more than he should. He left her once, but he’s got her six this time around.
Spies, missions, webs of lies and secrets, save the world situations, spy gadgets, and counter-spying are some abso-fab story elements that I eat up. Many times, I either like the suspense or the romance element in a story like this, but rarely are both of equal strength and integrated well. This one did. I was vested in both sides of the coin. What’s more, I totally respected the main characters, their actions in the romance and their mission, and the overall cast. I even enjoyed getting the villain’s perspective and it didn’t reduce the story’s tension one iota to have that present. The villains were worthy opponents for a group of pros like this and there is even an unnamed villain or two that are part of the series arc.
Maddox and Cole were fabulous individually and sizzled when together. Can I say just how much I appreciated having people who are written as pros at this sort of work act like it? Not, that they were too perfect to be believed. Emotions ran high and there was the need on Maddox’s part to be better than everyone else because she’s the woman and doesn’t want to be the team liability and Cole fought the urge to jump into protect mode when only back up was needed. And, they were mature about their past while still needing to work through all that never got dealt with when what they had exploded them apart.
The Gray Box agency group is a sensational nucleus of players that are perfect as the core backdrop for the series. I loved meeting all the players, getting hints at personalities and some attractions, and even that tetchy bit that one of these people is a betrayer. Can’t wait for the next installment.
All in all, my breath was stolen with this fantastic first in series and I am craving more. Romantic Suspense aficionados must grab this one in short order.
Loved it! I cannot say enough, I actually don’t want to say anything as everyone needs to read this book immediately! My first read by this author and I cannot wait to read even more. Full of nonstop action and suspense, kept me on a roller coaster ride that never ended! Wow!! 5 Suspense, Stupendous, Surprising stars*****
****I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book provided by publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, via NetGalley*****
Action-packed and fast-paced for a classic Romantic Suspense tale from a new to me author!
I received this book as an ARC from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I knew that I would fall in love with this book as soon as I saw the cover. Although I wasn’t familiar with the romantic thriller genre; the fleeing figures enshrouded in a hazy mist of red and blue immediately intrigued me. What could they be running from… or to? A quick read of the first chapter and I was all in. The action-filled pages engulfed me. I left every reading session reluctantly as I wanted to consume the book whole.
The descriptors used by Ms. Rushdan put me right into the thick of the action and sent my imagination soaring. Her action sequences were so skillfully delivered that I found myself flinching more than once during a few nail-biting situations. The characters, both main and ancillary, are excellently introduced and developed. I can’t wait to find out more about them in subsequent installations. The underlying love story is both beautiful and tortured. It is seamlessly intertwined with the action elements, making this a truly expert blend of romance, action, and suspense. By the end of the novel, I felt connected to all characters; especially the outwardly seeming vicious villain. Every Last Breath is a great read for all action fans! An incredible narrative filled with heart-pounding twists that will have you asking for more.
Every Last Breath was a fantastic read! Maddox and Cole’s second chance romance was a wild ride of hurt feelings, trying to move forward, and a big heap of forgiveness. I loved their journey and how they come to terms with their tragic past. I also liked the thriller aspect of the story. Following the villain and actually understanding his mindset made actually me feel kind of sorry for him. I’m intrigued with the secrets Gray Box has in their offices and can’t wait to see what’s in store next!
I highly recommend this book!!!
Wow, talk about non stop action. Every Last Breath will literally take your breath away it is that good. And it has not just Alpha men but women who can kick ass too. I love that! I have already pre-ordered the next in the series.
All I can say is wow! This romantic thriller had me on the edge of my seat, unable to put the book down and turning the pages as fast as I could to see what was going to happen. I felt an instant connection to Maddox Kinkade and loved her dynamic with the other characters especially Cole Matthews, her former lover. This is the first book I have read by Juno Rushdan and a great debut to her Final Hour series. “Every Last Breath” is a must-read for anyone who enjoys well-crafted, fast-paced romantic suspense.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. I also purchased a copy for my keeper library and look forward to reading more by this gifted author.
First, I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca publishing for providing me with a free Kindle edition of this book in exchange for an honest review.
After nine agonizing years of believing the love of her life died because of her mistake, badass Grey Box officer Maddox Kinkade gets the shock of her life when the “asset” she has been sent to make contact with is none other than her former lover living under a new identity. Both Maddox and Cole struggle to face each other’s acts of betrayal as they must work toward their common goal of preventing a highly potent form of weaponized smallpox from selling on the black market to the highest bidder. Meanwhile, a father and son assassin team is picking off targets and we will soon discover how it’s all related…
I could not put this book down. Not only is Juno Rushdan an eloquent writer, but her ability to balance both the action and the inner turmoil of both Maddox and Cole was incredible. There was not a break in the pace of the novel when the former lovers struggled with their inner feelings for each other. I am eager for the release of the second novel in this series!
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