Rain pelted my face as I pushed through the roar of the storm. Deep in the belly of Mexico, my team and I were on the hunt. One of the cartel’s mules flipped and wanted a ticket to freedom. The information they held could be our game-changer. Returning home to a civilian lifestyle was always an adjustment, even if it was temporary. However, a chance encounter with Catalina Mandas made that … Mandas made that transition a little bit easier. She was sweet, sexy, feisty, and saw me for who I was. She completely captivated me.
But Catalina warned me that we could never be together, that her past and mine could never coexist. Secrets were standing in our way, but I wasn’t willing to let her go that easily.
Back on a mission, and possibly one of the biggest rescues Blackstone has ever pulled off, I collided with one of my biggest nightmares.
And now, two things will be tested…
Trust and freedom.
more
“—we came from very different worlds. Worlds that when they collide, someone gets hurt—”
Be still my Blackstone heart. You know what they say about ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall’, right? “I stood six foot six, two hundred and sixty pounds of solid muscle and tattooed from head to toe—” He’s very good at his job, and light on his feet despite his size. It’s his heart that’s in danger of falling when he runs into her.
She’s feisty and funny and she doesn’t back down. She made quite the impression on him. He hadn’t been looking for her, but once he met her he couldn’t get her out of his head. He didn’t expect to see her again…and there she was. How was he supposed to resist her? “She laughed and reached out for my arm, and the instant she made contact, I felt our magnets fuse together.
Of course, I’m well aware of why he avoids relationships. His covert line of work that requires him to drop everything and run at the drop of a hat makes it kinda hard, right? The getting to know you talk is very short when he can’t disclose any details. But that doesn’t stop him from wanting to get to know her. Nor does his extensive training in interrogation do any good when it comes to learning her secrets. Her walls are as high as his.
You’d think they wouldn’t have anything to talk about if they took all of that off the table, but nope, they have plenty to say. They even have whole conversations without words. Steamy stares and lustful longing is communication, right? I tried to stay clear of their magnetic field to avoid being zapped, but I’m a #VirtualVoyeur and couldn’t wait for them to give in to the pull.
If that’s not hot enough, then there are the behind the scenes scary and dangerous missions that his team is involved in to raise my temperature even more. Then, when her dark and dangerous secret gets thrown into the mix, I might need to stick my head in the freezer. Are you getting the picture? It’s that damn good! And guess what? There’s at least one more sexy single team member that needs my attention. The line forms here…
Drum Roll Please!!
Yes, it’s here! The highly anticipated, and most begged for book of the Blackstone series is Finally HERE!
FREEDOM BY J.L DRAKE!
Blackstone’s Back Alright! Yes, I just sing songed that to the Backstreet Boys song in my head. And I can hear the entire gang rolling their eyes at me as we speak. But Mike – Oh wait didn’t I tell you that this is His book…….
Gasp! I didnt, well sit right on down and lets rectified that right now.
Yes – I said MIKE! After begging and pleading our dearly loved J.L. Drake has answered us. And with a full on Mic Drop. Like me who has the gift of gab Was SPEECHLESS!
Freedom is Mikes story – and if you’ve read the Broke & Devil’s Reach MC series then you are well versed in what this story means. But its not all about Mike……. who am I kidding, yes it is lol.
But it goes deeper and shows Mike still as the guy who we met in Broken, but now we get to the man under the “Ink” and his family, including the antics of the Blackstone family. And maybe something new? Perhaps…..
Now its not all fun and mind games. We can’t skip over the woman who brings Mike to a place he never thought he’d find. Nope not giving her away, you have to read it. Pssst, yup she’s that good. I wont spoil it for you “wink, wink”
But lets just say……never fully trust a self proclaimed Author who loves to give “asshole cliffhangers”. Cause she threw some crazy OMG curve balls & LOL moments that make you snort. (Yup I did)
And just may make you go back and start at the Broken beginning so you can see how it all comes together in the end.
Now since they only let me give 5 stars, that what I did but really this baby is more like a 10 star read.
You can feel the love that Drake has for these characters. It truly feels like you’ve come back home to where everyone knows your name and has a cold beer waiting for you along with a good time.
But dont take my word for it……go get a copy for yourself and let me know what you think of our Blackstone family.
Sincerely,
Blackstone Team member from day 1
P.S. – Watch out for Nan!
J.L. Drake
This is the one Blackstone Man I have been waiting for and yes this may be my favorite of the Blackstone series. All we know about Mike (from the Broken Trilogy) is he is known to be the scariest looking of the Blackstone team, with tattoos everywhere, one being a troll(love the backstory on this) muscular, and sexy.
Mike and his team are on a mission to eliminate Salvador’s operation!
Catalina is trying to find her brother that has gone missing.
What happens when Catalina’s past comes back to haunt her but also interrupts Mike’s mission to take down the Salvador family.
Freedom is filled with suspense and action, is romantically steamy but you will laugh your ass off and not by Mark!! J.L. Drake has captured my attention again with twists and turns. I just love that she brings in more of the Broken and Devils Reach characters to continue to learn more details on our favorite men.
Stop reading reviews and just One Click J.L. Drake will not disappoint! LOL
*4.5 stars*
Full of intrigue, action and love….
Whew, was this book a roller coaster ride! I see that description a lot but sometimes it’s the only words that fit. Catalina and Mike were attracted to each other but I don’t think either of them realized where their secrets would lead them…
Catalina had gone through so much yet no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t distance herself from her past. Family went deep and she couldn’t escape them or how they were going to affect her future. Mike was drawn to her beauty and her personality. Little did he know how their lives were going to tangle, putting both their lives at risk…
This read quickly became my favourite in the series. Mike and Catalina’s story was wave after wave of emotion and tough decisions. Life-threatening situations were common-place and brought spine-tingling suspense to a romance that already had me on the edge of my seat.
A great stand-alone read but the Blackstone family is best read from the beginning to understand (and appreciate) the relationships they have right from the start…
*Reviewed for Nerdy Dirty & Flirty
Freedom has a mix of military and mc and I loved that mix. Mike and Catalina’s story was everything and more than I could have expected from this amazing author. Gosh..I love her books.
Happy Reading Everyone!!!
Another great Blackstone book.
This time Mike is front and center. This big tattooed giant finds his HEA. Lots of crazy twists in this story. Military romance fans will love this book.
Mike you got your story. Oh what a story it was. I loved every word of this book even when I was holding my breath. This is a great addition to the Black stone Series.
Mike Irons is a former military specialist who now works undercover for Blackstone doing secret operations and currently they are trying to bring down the Mexican Cartel. He is trying to find a balance between work and his personal life and when he meets his sister’s best friend he finally realizes what he has been missing.
Catalina Mendez is best friends with Charlotte but there are a lot of aspects of her life that she keeps private and doesn’t disclose anything to anyone. She is trying to distance herself from her family except for her brother Javier, who she is trying to find.
Mike and Catalina find themselves growing closer but Catalina doesn’t like that Mike keeps his job secretive and may have to leave at any time.
When Mike’s latest mission takes him to Mexico he is shocked at what he discovers. Will love be able to overcome everything?
This was such a great book with some awesome twists to make you wonder what is going to happen next!
I really liked Mike but initially I was confused about his relationship with Lizzy but further on in the book they explain it more. I thought Mike was a super good guy who obviously was dedicated to his job but also super close with his family although he had to keep them in the dark about his job as well.
Catalina was a huge mystery in regards to her past but you know that she is close with her brother Javier and she hates her dad and wants as far away from him and his life. I liked that she had a close friendship with Charlotte and she worked hard at her job and she really wanted to prove herself. I knew there had to be a good reason why she was running and I was anxious to figure it out!
There was so much chemistry between Mike and Catalina and I really liked them together although their relationship was also based on a lot of secrets and I wondered how that was going to impact everything. I liked how Mike managed to scare off Jeff!
There was a certain moment when everything gets revealed and I was really wondering how everything was going to work out. I knew how Catalina felt but I also was aware of how everything appeared. There were so many shocking moments that just kept coming and I loved it all!
I really enjoyed Trigger and the bond he created with Catalina and how she was able to provide him with some information!
The end was so awesome and I was so happy how everything came together!
I can’t wait for more!
Jodi was once again able to weave a huge cast of our favourite characters with new friends into a nail-biting adventure so seamlessly. Old friends and new blend so beautifully! Learning how Mike and Catalina’s stories crash into each other through cleverly written chapters, not giving it away all at once, keeps you reading from beginning to end!
I waited for this book to come out and it did not disappoint!!!!
Mike is a military man, full of tattoos with a heart he keeps hidden. You might now see him all the time, however he is there when you need him the most. He meets Catalina and she saw right through his hard exterior. However, there are things holding her back from Mike; her past, his past and whatever the future may hold.
Action-packed, lines blurred, and with trust, love, and freedom on a tight rope, J.L. Drake again knocks it out of the park with her writing and character development. Mike literally is the best book boyfriend ever!! I think my husband is even jealous!!!
Finally! Mike’s story has arrived and it was beyond my wildest expectations. I wish I could give this book more stars. I became hooked from my first JL Drake book, and now it borders obsession. Freedom literally had me from the character list. I wanted to savor every word while fighting my speed reading tendency. It shows brilliance connecting complex intertwined characters from various books while keeping the reader connected. I’m about to start a second read. I can’t get enough!
4 stars
Freedom is my first J.L. Drake book so I’m coming into the Blackstone saga a little behind. While you can read this book as a standalone, I definitely felt like I missed a few things, especially about the team makeup and how past missions affected the present. To enhance the reader’s enjoyment, I recommend catching up on the series.
Mike is a special operator will massive skills but he’s really a huge teddy bear. Ridiculed for his size as a child/teen, Mike knows what it feels like to be bullied by others and his job allows him to rid the world of a few of those bullies. Unfortunately, the job also takes him around the globe at a moment’s notice, thrusts him directly into the line of fire and separates him from family and friends who can never know the extreme nature of his work. Naturally, it’s caused some challenges with relationships. Meeting Catalina was a pleasant surprise but being attracted to her was a given.
Catalina is a spitfire. The sexy latina takes no shit and dishes it right back when necessary. Despite her background being extremely difficult and her life being fraught with danger, the kind she can’t talk about, she’s funny, fiesty and caring. She’s instantly attracted to the big guy and for the first time in forever, she feels safe. That safety is fragile and when her brother goes missing, she’s ordered to come home. What do you do when “home” is the source of you fear and loathe?
These two complex characters were perfect for each other. Each have secrets but believe protecting those secrets are the key to survival. The collision of their worlds was written in such a way you truly felt the anxiety and danger. The team of characters adds much needed richness and levity to the story. Well done.
AnnMarie – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
Another suspenseful and heart warming read in the Blackstone world. I loved Mike and Catalina’s unlikely connection and their deep trust for one another. Two people who’s paths should have never crossed the way they did. Catalina was an incredibly strong heroine who was the perfect match for Mike! I loved how she fit right in with the Blackstone men and their families. Their story was chaotic and dramatic but incredibly fulfilling.
Holy sweet, protector Alpha!!! Mike Irons is a character that I won’t forget anytime soon. Catalina is a perfect match to Mike. Strong, fierce, and a little scared.
I haven’t read the other Blackstone books, or the Devil’s Ranch series, however they are now on my TBR lists. Mainly so I can see how Mike appears through the eyes of the others.
It’s been a while since I’ve read a Black Ops romance, JL Drake pulled me in three pages. She writes the some of the best Black Ops/ covert ops groups I’ve read. Ever.
JL has a solid, graphic, and well written world that intertwines with her other worlds seamlessly. It felt brilliant and real to me the entirety of the read. The plot moves quickly. As a new reader, the first chapter had me glancing back a the character list that JL provided, but I was quickly up to speed and running.
Mike pulled me in immediately in the first chapter and then just tugging on me harder. The Iron’s family is the one that everyone would love to be a part of or know.
Catalina intrigued me from the start as well. When we are introduced to her, she’s standing outside a dive bar leaving a voicemail that sounds like it’s for a sleazy ex. Flip the days and we are introduced to the real Cat. Advertising intern, bar tender, loyal friend, fiercely protective sister. The voice mail was to her missing brother.
The attraction between Mike and Cat is immediate and electric. Then you realize that their respective secrets are layering upon them, and things are going to blow.
Mike’s secret life is known to the reader from the first page, but Cat’s….I had started to suspect…but wow. Just wow. Here’s is revealed like a block of C-4 just went off in the barracks.
JL makes our characters go through some of the hardest soul searching I’ve ever read. Cat is absolutely stunning as her story unfolds.
This was a keep me up all night to read and finish. I went to bed at o dark thirty and woke up with the BEST book hangover.
As Mike says “freedom comes in many forms; love was mine.”
Freedom is the third in the Blackstone Series. At the start there is an extensive cast of characters which certainly helps in the understanding of the backdrop story, especially when you haven’t read any others in the series.
If you love alpha military men who have a thing for strong sassy women, you are going to love Freedom because Mike and Catalina absolutely fit the bill.
There are secrets, there are missions, there are even a few surprises that all come together with a undercurrent of humour that makes this novel highly readable.
With a strong nod to family and not all of them blood, this is a novel that shows love and acceptance that is black, white and even grey.
As a JL Drake virgin, Freedom has introduced me to another author I’m sure to follow in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of this from Wildfire Marketing on behalf of the author.
I read this as a standalone, but I really wish that I had the other books in this series. I’ll be looking into doing that ASAP because this world really is gripping. Special Ops meets a sprinkling of MC? Sign me up.
Catalina was a real spitfire and I loved her and Mike from page 1.
This story is gripping from the first and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked and cameos from other series to give you catch ups.
I had no idea of what to expect going into this book. This was my first book by this author. While this book is a standalone, I would highly recommend reading the other books in the series first as I felt I was missing out on some of the back stories of other characters (there are a lot of them!) and inside jokes. Reading the prior books clearly enhances your enjoyment of Freedom. With that said, Freedom is still a really good book — the friendships of the guys and their banter, covert ops action with a lot of twists and turns, and loving relationship of Mike’s family with everyone in their circle.
In the midst of chasing a drug cartel, Mike and Catalina’s story emerges as one of the sweetest romances that I’ve seen in a covert ops/special forces book. Mike is someone who people feared because of his size. He always thought he would find his happiness through others; he assumed he wouldn’t have a special person of his own to love. Then he meets Catalina who sees just him — no fear, no assumptions. While Mike immediately knows that Catalina is different, they still have many challenges to face. From the beginning, Catalina warns Mike that they likely couldn’t ever be together because of the secrets standing in their way. The secrets almost ruin their chance at love.
I absolutely loved everything about the ending of this book — seeing how protective, gentle giant Mike and feisty Catalina settle into their happily ever after. All of the little details that the author weaves into the ending make it really special. I wish I could say more without revealing spoilers!
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the 3rd book in this awesome series and is Mike and Catalina’s story, and what a perfect addition this is. This is a beautifully written tale which is unpredictable, and filled with drama, twists, tension, realistic characters, and is a humorous love story which had me captivated and on tenterhooks throughout. I cannot wait to read more in this phenomenal series and recommend for all.
I love reading black ops/special forces romance book. They have a certain type of action.
This is the third book in the series but the first one I read.
The feelings between Mike and Catalina developed practically instantly. They progressed very fast and things were hot. Mike was very alpha and wanted to protect Catalina. Catalina was a super strong character who was seeking freedom from her past life.
I liked the added family drama we got with Catalina and Mike’s job.
It felt a little long but the end wrapped the storyline all up.
Read a review copy in exchange for my honest review.
Wow! This book is intense…..in a good way. It has everything you want from a military/suspense romance. Covert Ops team. Page turning dangerous missions. A super hot and sexy love story. Alpha male with a big heart and a kick ass heroine who’s not afraid to put herself in danger for the greater good. Witty banter to cut the tension and great characters all around. There are A LOT of characters. Thank goodness, there’s a cast of character description at the beginning of the book because I found myself referring to it quite a bit. The ending was perfect!!
This is my first book by J.L. Drake…..it won’t be my last.
Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.