From USA Today bestselling author Sidney Halston comes the third Iron-Clad Security novel, Kiss Kiss Bang. Six-foot-two and ripped…with superior computer skills, Josef “Joey” Clad is not your typical ex-Marine. The co-owner of Iron-Clad securities is 100% Alpha male, but under his muscular physique, he’s the best hacker in Miami who specializes in running Iron-Clad’s cyber ops. The perfect … Iron-Clad’s cyber ops. The perfect skill set for their new client who is getting threatening emails, a client who he definitely wants to get to know better. Much better.
Single mom, widow, Olivia Monroe has exceptional dreams that she refuses to let go of. Fifteen years ago, she left her broken home in New York City and never looked back. Now a dark horse candidate for Florida governor, she’s not looking for a relationship. Even with the hot guy who sweeps in and saves her computer the night before a big speech. Her hero has trouble written all over him. Joey is too handsome, too funny, too confident, and way too hard to resist.
Too bad he’s now her bodyguard.
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***4 Stars***
I was a little hesitant to dive into Kiss Kiss Bang (I’ll get to the reason in a bit) but I needn’t have worried because I loved this book. This may just be my favorite of the series. It was a fun, quick read that was low on angst, but had just the right amount of suspense to keep things interesting and characters I enjoyed getting to know and ended up loving when everything was said and done.
The reason I was hesitant about this one falls entirely on Joey/Josef’s shoulders. I wanted to gut the man with a spoon in Last First Kiss. Badly. But, I reminded myself to keep an open mind because he did have some good points, and whadda you know? I ended up really liking him. He was still all kinds of dominant and steamroller should be his nickname, but in this case it just worked. He was compassionate, upfront and funny, which ended up being quite a lethal combination.
Olivia I loved right away. She’s vivacious, determined and compassionate. Her past isn’t all wine and roses, but she’s created a solid life for herself and her daughter and is looking to do more for those around her. Olivia was a lot of fun. Sassy and a little snarky, and could hold her own in room full of sharks.
Olivia and Joey’s journey was a lot of fun. Joey does steamroll his way into her life, but I never felt as if it was oppressive. Part of it, of course, had to do with the security issue and that he is in the protection business. The other part is that he did it in a sneaky and yet fun way that still allowed for caveman tendencies, but showed how much he respected Olivia. I loved their bantering and the chemistry between them was hot and it really was a lot of fun to watch their relationship grow, and then you throw Sophie into the mix and all bets are off.
I loved the previous books, but this one just felt…lighter than the others when it came to the romance and I really liked that because there was enough drama going on around them that it would have bogged the story down too much. As for the suspense aspect, it was very well done. It kept me on my toes (I actually attempted to figure out who was behind it all and only got part of it right) and when everything was said and done, it all made perfect sense to me. I enjoyed hanging out Jax, Megan, Annie and Rocco, but Sophie was the one who definitely stole my heart and the show.
~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~
Josef “Joey” Clad is the “Clad” in Iron-Clad Security, the private security firm he and his best friend, Jax Irons, own and operate. Joey’s more the brains in the outfit, but even so, he’s still got the physical protection skills he learned from his stint in the military. When he meets gorgeous, but frazzled, Olivia Russo, falling apart in the computer store where he’s on a job, his protective instincts come to the fore and he falls, HARD, for the beautiful single mom. And when it becomes clear that Olivia and her daughter are in need of some protection, Joey’s just the man for the job.
Olivia is a hard-working, widowed single mom who’s running for governor of Florida when she picks up a stalker. She’s got no one in this world but a friend of her late husband’s, to look out for her, but even the security agent her friend hired for her is no match for the person stalking her. Thank God for the gorgeous, sweet man she meets at the store she’s brought in her overworked laptop for repair. Little does she know that he’s more than just a computer guy, he’s a badass private security agent, AND a hacker with some crazy ass skills that have not only earned him millions, but underground recognition too. He’s just the man to help her when not only is her stalker picking up in intensity, but her gubernatorial opponent’s verbal attacks are picking up in malice, too.
Like the other story in this series that I’ve read, Kiss Marry Kill, Kiss Kiss Bang is hot, fast paced and well drawn with two likable leads who share some serious chemistry. Add in an adorable, lizard-loving little girl, and Sidney Halston came up with the perfect combination of sweet, romantic and suspenseful. I wish there were more coming in this series, but I have a feeling this is it, considering that Jax, Joey and Anna’s stories have all been told now.
3.5 Stars
Stories like this one, where the hero saves and protects his woman, are exactly my kind of thing. Call me old-school but it is what it is. Independent and strong woman are awesome but who doesn’t like a capable guy in your corner, strong enough to take over from time to time?! Someone to lean on?! Even if it’s only to save you from an invading spider. =P Anyhow, there are so many books out there with stories like that and it gets harder to find something that’s somewhat new and exciting. Something that has your heart beating faster and wanting more of.
I fell in love with the characters from Iron Clad Security from the first book on and am sad to see them go. Joey was a sweetie and I loved him but I was a bit disappointed with his story. It was an up and down for me of loving the story and liking it to getting through with it. I did enjoy it but at rare times it fell a bit flat and the suspense lacked more often.
I liked the first encounter of the characters but once Joey had set his eyes on Olivia Monroe, he never wanted to leave her side again. Olivia was a widow and single mother and I have no idea how she managed to juggle everything being in politics. I only wished there was a lot more going on. I mean, yeah she was threatened and it was all about keeping her save but there was not enough build-up of emotions from the characters and her job seemed almost easy enough with working on the computer the whole day. I know there’s more to it and that’s why I was missing more depth.
Although Joey was a geek, he was still a trained ex-military and lethal guy. He was also a cocky bastard and very sure of himself but really protective of his loved ones and thorough in everything he did. As much as I liked him, I couldn’t warm up to Olivia’s character because she was not very enthusiastic and rather dull.
The ending felt very rushed and abrupt. I would have liked to know more about the culprit and the consequences as well as some insight in the characters future but sadly there was nothing =( Though it was a great read nonetheless.
The Iron Clad series definitely went out with a bang with Joey and Olivia’s story!! I have loved every book in this series more than the last and Kiss Kiss Bang is no exception. I didn’t think anything would top Last First Kiss but this book edged it out.
Joey is the Clad in Iron Clad Security. The guy who gets all hot and bothered about algorithms, feels more comfortable behind the computer than in the field, but definitely can handle anything that might come his way. When he happens to run into Olivia, the widowed single mom running for Governor, in a big box tech store, the connection is nearly immediate. She’s normally so put together yet on this day, she’s disheveled, laughing at nothing, standing in line with a broken laptop. When threats come near Olivia, Joey takes it upon himself to protect her and her daughter.
I admit that, while I couldn’t wit for Joey’s story, he definitely needed some redemption after the way he treated his sister, Annie in Last First Kiss. And he got it, in spades. Joey is romantic, caring, and jumps into protecting Olivia and her daughter almost immediately. Olivia is hardcore. She’s overcome a lot in her life and is taking on so much raising her daughter alone and running for governor. When the threats start coming, she doesn’t cower in the corner like a damsel in distress. She steps up and does everything she can to keep going but also keep her family safe. I will miss this series so much. I have loved all three of these books so much and I’m sad that there will be no more Iron Clad stories coming. All three can definitely be read as standalones but once you read one, you’ll want them all.
3.75 stars–KISS KISS BANG is the third and final instalment in Sidney Halston’s contemporary, adult IRON CLAD SECURITY romantic, suspense series focusing on the men and women who work for Iron Clad Security (ICS). This is thirty-seven year old, former Marine and ICS co-owner Josef ‘Joey’ Clad, and thirty-five year old, single mom, widow and candidate for Florida governor Olivia Monroe’s story line. KISS KISS BANG can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Joey and Olivia) KISS KISS BANG follows the building relationship between candidate for Florida governor Olivia Monroe, a single mother of a five year old daughter, and Iron Clad Security co-owner Joey Clad. Hours before a televised debate Olivia Monroe’s lap-top computer died. In desperate need of repair, Olivia accepts a complete stranger’s offer, to help in her endeavour to acquire a new device. Enter Joey Clad, security specialist, hacker and the man with whom Olivia will fall in love. What ensues is the building romance between our leading couple, and struggles to stay one step ahead of the person(s) trying to sabotage Olivia’s gubernatorial race, and the potential fall out when Olivia’s past comes seeking retribution and revenge.
Olivia’s husband was killed in a car accident shortly after the birth of their daughter. In the ensuing years our heroine has struggled to raise her precocious daughter but with the ineptitude of the current governor and his lackluster stand on pollution and industrial emissions, Olivia faces a new battle in her bid to run for the governor’s position when threats are made, and physical violence ensues. Running a platform based on family values and single motherhood, Joey’s appearance in her life forces Olivia to reconsider her involvement with our story line hero. Joey Clad knows that the frazzled woman at the computer store is the woman that calls to his heart but threats against Olivia means that our hero must become both lover and protector in order to keep safe the woman with whom he is falling love.
KISS KISS BANG is a story of betrayal and revenge; political interference; falling in love and letting go of the past. The premise is intriguing and engaging; the romance is quick to build without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
The rush to the finish was a bit of a disappointment. There was no epilogue or revisiting of previous couples in so much as this particular story line is the final instalment in the ICS series. And I had a difficult time with a perceived lack of palpable, sexual energy between our leading couple- it felt like everyone was going through the motions without a true emotional involvement. I think if there was more conflict between the leading characters I would have felt more of the pull of attraction.
KISS KISS BANG by Sidney Bristol
Iron Clad Security #3
Florida has a heated race for governor in progress when Josef “Joey” Clad sees Olivia “Liv” Russo have a meltdown at a computer store. He steps in, offers his computer skills to resolve her troubles and though there is attraction the two do not act upon it…then. They see one another again when he is working security for a dinner she is to speak at and before they know it he is whisking her away from danger and again there is chemistry. Eventually the chemistry is acted upon and Joey becomes Liv’s bodyguard…and then more.
This is evidently the final book in the Iron Clad Security series. I found Joey to be an interesting and wise man who knew what he wanted as well what his strengths truly were. Liv had a rough childhood and a dream. She found love, lost love, had a child and then found herself running for governor. She has plans for the future and, at first, sees herself without a man in her life. Joey begins to change her thoughts about the future, though.
With evil to thwart, hackers hacking, romance in the air, a five year old that sometimes acted two and others a bit closer to five and more this is a fast-paced action-packed romance that satisfied even though I didn’t really fall for either Liv or Joey…nice people that belonged together BUT I didn’t relate to them as much as I sometimes have in other stories. Well, perhaps Joey appealed more than Liv? Hmmm….thinking back on the story… Anyway…
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars