“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 authorThe clock is tickingFearsome Gray Box operative Gideon Stone is devoted to his work and his team. He’s never given reason to doubt his loyalty…until he’s tasked with investigating Willow Harper, a beguiling cryptologist … he’s tasked with investigating Willow Harper, a beguiling cryptologist suspected of selling deadly bio-agents on the black market.
He knows she’s innocent. He knows she’s being framed. And he knows that without him, Willow will be dead before sunrise.
Thrust into the crossfire of an insidious international conspiracy, Gideon will do anything to keep Willow safe…even if that means waging war against his own. With time running out, an unlikely bond pushes limits—and forges loyalties. Every move they make counts. And the real traitor is always watching…
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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Nothing to Fear is Juno Rushdan’s second book in her Final Hour series and follows events of that occurred in the first book, therefore its best to start reading Every Last Breath to catch up. This book has everything that makes a great romantic suspense, plot twists galore, bad guys that are really deadly, scarred hero in the form of Gideon and a fantastic heroine in Willow. I love how this series has fully fleshed out and diverse characters and while it may appear that the romance elements seemed to develop instantly, it still makes sense since they’ve all known each other for sometime and the imminent threat in their organization just served as an impetus for it to come out. Needless to say I will be looking forward to the next book in the series.
Nothing to Fear is the second book in the Final Hour series by Juno Rushdan. It continues right after the first book, Every Last Breath, and immediately immerses you into the aftermath and chaos of finding the mole deeply imbedded within their tight-knit team. All these operatives are like family and no one wants to believe someone considered as such has betrayed them but with the harsh truth staring them in the face, those vetted and trusted dive deeper into everyone’s lives to ferret out the traitor in their midst. When Willow Harper, a quiet, shy, brilliant cryptologist is at the top of the list of suspects Gideon Stone steps in, tasked with investigating her, and is determined to prove her innocence, whatever the cost. He has watched her from the shadows and been intrigued by the silent beauty and takes the opportunity of the mole hunt to reach out. He knows she is being framed and after an attempt on her life he realizes her only chance at survival is with him, on the run, to find answers and clear her name. With no choice but to trust Gideon, an operative she barely knows but whom she is drawn to and has watched from a distance, she is pulled out of her comfort zone, away from her stability, family, and everything that matters to her and thrust into a dangerous, deadly international conspiracy that runs deep and hits home. On a tight deadline, with time running out they race to find the truth and clear Willow’s name before it is too late. The more they dig, the deeper the conspiracy and threat to Willow grows. With an urgency and determination Gideon feels deep in his soul, he will fight to his last breath, even against his own team, to keep her safe and get her back to her life and Willow will fight just as hard to keep Gideon by her side.
I am loving this series and these characters, along with the well-written storyline. Rushdan has done a wonderful job with an intricately woven plot that is suspenseful and engaging and will pull you in and hold on tight. The scenes are descriptive, the action explosive, the danger pressing, the tight functioning unit impressive, the emotions strong, and the romance hot. A truly great read from start to finish.
*ARC received thru NetGalley, via the publisher and I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
I really loved this book. It has romance and so much excitement in it. I loved the main character’s and how they related to each other. The plot was amazing. I love how the author writes and kept me interested throughout the book. I definitely will be reading more from this author.
Gideon is an operative for the Gray Box. There is a mole among them and all the evidence is pointing to Willow. Willow is a cryptologist and takes care of her sick father. Gideon knows she’s innocent but proving it will be dangerous. They go on the run to find out who set her up but they have to dodge the mercenaries hired to kill her. If they don’t find the mole, Willow could go to jail. Gideon was married once and doesn’t plan on doing it again. He doesn’t think he’s good enough for Willow but can she convince him he is what she wants?
This is the second book in this series. It was just a little confusing at first but once I got into it, a couldn’t put it down. Plenty of action and suspense. With a little steamy sex thrown in.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley *
After the adrenaline rush that was Every Last Breath, I had to press forward with this riveting and on the edge series with its compelling plot and charismatic characters. There is a mole in the Gray Box organization and they are setting up one of their own to take a hard fall. Another page-turner!
Nothing to Fear is book two in the Final Hour romantic suspense series set against the world of covert, off the books operations and lethal people who struggle hard to find love. Each book presents a new couple and a heightened threat to deal with while working best when read in order.
Gideon and the rest of the Gray Box team are left reeling to know that one of them is a mole and selling out the team that is like a family. Some glaring facts point to it being Willow Harper, the quiet, organized and very gifted crytologist, but Gideon is convinced she’s being set up. She has caught his eye for some time and he is intrigued by her cool, put together demeanor who doesn’t seem to want friends and only wants to do her job. It’s his task to get close and discover if she’s the traitor, but he learns that lines are going to get crossed when this woman pushes him to put something besides the mission first.
Willow knows Gideon has a dark history as an assassin and interrogator- she’s read his file, but she is drawn to him anyway. She can’t believe that a guy like him would even notice a socially inept person like her. Then someone tries to kill her and she finds herself suspected to be a traitor to the job she has loyally worked at. Gideon was always lethal, but she didn’t realize her heart would be the biggest casualty.
I loved joining Gideon in learning what a delightful surprise Willow turned out to be. She is amazing in so many ways and doesn’t let Asperger’s or caring for an ailing parent hold her back. She is socially awkward and yet her giving and generous nature shines through into Gideon’s dark, shadowy world. He doesn’t stand a chance against the force of her blunt charm and I loved that Willow saw the real man and not just the operative even when he tried to push her away for her own good. They were sizzling together when they had the chance to catch a break while out trying to prove Willow’s innocence.
As to the mole plot that started in the previous book, the author tantalizes with glimpses behind enemy lines of the power behind the mole and the mole themselves. It didn’t diminish the suspense one iota and actually upped it. There were some harrowing scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. These people pulled no punches.
In the end, there was one series plot thread still left open, but it ended with a fabulous denouement and epilogue. I didn’t even sense the pages going by and reluctantly tapped the last page a few times nosing for more. Those who like black ops thrills with their romance need look no further than this smart and sizzling series.
This is my favorite kind of romantic suspense – just the right balance between action and romance. Top-notch plotting, perfectly paced!
Book two of the A Final Hour series doesn’t disappoint. The characters are cleverly crafted and believable. Juno provides enough background details so you know what makes them tick. I like this series and look forward to Juno’s next book.
Final Hour #2, Picking up right where Every Last Breath left off this book would be better read if the first book was read prior to this one. They are separate stories with different protagonists leading the way but the big bad is the same and the past events are mentioned frequently and important. I loved this book! Juno Rushdan is so talented her suspense and action is exceptional, the romance between Gideon and Willow heartbreakingly good, and the book in general was a very satisfying read. From start to finish the books take hold of you and won’t let go.
There is a mole in Gray Box, a super secret black ops organization that the higher ups are willing to just whitewash the whole thing and start over; that means kill who they can and discredit everyone else. Gray Box is running out of time to find the mole. Gideon Stone has taken it upon himself to shadow Willow Harper, he knows she’s innocent he just needs an excuse to be close to her. But when new evidence is discovered it points right to Willow and there is only one thing Gideon can do to protect her until they find the evidence she needs to prove she’s been framed, they run away.
Willow is a high functioning autistic, she’s horrible in social situations but she can mimic people’s reactions when needed to fit in doesn’t mean she understand it she just knows that’s what you do. Willow is also a genius when it comes to computers. Willow is confused when Gideon starts talking to her and showing interest in her when he walks her out to her car but is thankful if not a little embarrassed when he’s there when her car’s breaks fail and she almost dies. Willow is almost certain that now he knows about her autism that Gideon will leave her alone next thing she know Gideon is bolting out of Gray Box with her. Their only hope to find out who was really behind this is to follow the money. Along the way they give into their attraction but Gideon was married once before and she died because of him and no matter how much he’s falling in love with Willow he can’t do to her what he put his first wife through.
Overall, it’s an outstanding book. Juno Rushdan has definitely become one of my must read authors.
Ms. Rushdan was a new to me author when I read the first book in this series. I really enjoyed it and was looking forward to the next release. I was not disappointed. This book picked up right where the last one ended and kept you turning the page to find out who the mole was and if the they would be caught. Lots of suspense and action.
I thought Every Last Breath was intense, but nothing prepared me for the second book, Nothing To Fear! This book blew my mind! Incredible, heart pounding action and a romance that crackled with the BEST of tensions! This suspense was mind blowing. The descriptions were vivid and nothing short of stunning and had me sitting on the EDGE of my seat the whole freaking time I was reading this.
One of the most amazing things about Juno Rushdan is her ability to write a story that will literally raise your blood pressure and have you biting your lip and flipping the pages until its MUCH later in the evening than you realize. Gideon and Willow seem to be complete opposites but they just fit perfectly together. Like puzzle pieces. The action in this book was pretty exhilarating and the romance was something special and nothing to sneeze about.
Nothing To Fear gets a MIND BLOWING FIVE SUSPENSEFUL STARS! You can’t BEAT this kind of exhilaration and once you finish this book, Juno Rushdan will be your #1 choice for Romantic suspense in the future.
I wanted to finish reading Nothing to Fearby Juno Rushdan before September, but between my daughters’ hectic schedules and my migraines, I was not able to complete the book until 9/2/2019.
I love the Final Hour series by Juno Rushdan. This has been my first Romantic Thriller series, and I love the storylines and heart-pounding moments in these books. Juno Rushdan keeps me on the edge of my seat when reading the Final Hour series and I can’t get enough of it. Now, I’m counting down to the next book in the series after reading Gideon aka Reaper and Willow’s story.
There’s a mole in the Gray Box, and everyone is stunned it’s one of their own, but the person who is the mole is not the mole. There’s a traitor in their operation, and they have to find out who it is before they have more significant trouble from the government. Willow is set up to be the mole/traitor at Gray Box, and only one person in the Gray Box believes she can’t be the mole, and that is Gideon. He will do anything to prove Willow’s innocence. She’s one of the Computer Analysts/Hackers, while Gideon is known as the Reaper for his ways of interrogating and killing someone. Gideon will end up protecting Willow from the real traitors while trying to find a way to clear her name. Although, he never expects to fall for the analyst, especially after what happened to his marriage with his wife, who was killed. (I couldn’t stand his wife and what she did to him.) Truths will be revealed from both characters in this book. Willow will admit that she has Asperger’s Syndrome and Gideon suffers from not getting attached to someone due to his past.
Both characters are complete opposite’s of each other due to their jobs and personalities. Willow should be scared of Gideon, and he tries to convince Willow he’s not an average guy. These two characters end up having bullets shot at them and fists thrown at them at every turn. This is what you would call a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat and wondering who the real traitors are in the story. Readers will get not only Willow’s and Gideon’s POV but the bad guys too. There is so much going on that end up wanting more after the book is finished. I know I did.
Be prepared to be shocked at the ending, especially after finding who is the actual mole in the Gray Box. I was surprised, and so was other characters in the book. The one thing I enjoy about Juno’s writing is getting to know other characters too in the book.
If you enjoy a book that keeps you edge of your seat and keeps you turning the pages, then this book and this series are for you. Although the books each follow a new couple, I would recommend reading in order.
Story Rating: 4.5 stars
Steaminess Rating: 3.5 stars
Standalone or part of series: Part of the Final Hour Series and I recommend reading in order due to storylines.
Do I recommend this book? Yes.
Will I read other books from the author? Yes. She’s become an auto-buy author for me.
Tropes/Elements: Suspense; Thriller; Opposite’s Attract
Hero: Former CIA Agent, Former Quarterback Star; Scary Interrogator
Heroine: Computer Analyst; Hacker; Asperger’s Syndrome; Being framed for something she hasn’t done
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
5 stars
Fantastic book about a spy agency with a leak, an operative who can save anyone, except maybe himself and a woman the world says is weird but is just perfect for him. Nothing to Fear is actually the second novel in the Final Hour series. While I did read it as a stand alone, there is definitely a back story which would enhance the reader’s experience.
Gideon Stone has given his entire life to protecting his country and his team from the insidious evil that seeks to destroy us but recently the enemy has been coming at them from within. There’s a mole inside Gray Box and the intriguing analyst Willow Harper has been implicated. Gideon’s been attracted to the quiet, unassuming Willow for awhile now but he’s always kept his distance, now distance might get them both killed. His mission was to find the mole but he’s 100% sure Willow’s being framed, so the mission has changed: now, he must keep them both alive long enough to prove her innocence.
This is a fantastic book! A thrill ride from the first chapter that kept me guessing the whole time! Gideon and Willow are amazingly complex characters. Willow is a high functioning autistic, who manages life by maintaining order and balance but when someone sets her up as the mole within the covert organization, Gray Box, all order goes out the window. I love that even though she struggled at times, she didn’t sit back and just allow herself to be rescued, she was right alongside Gideon every step of the way. And despite his constant tries, Gideon can’t hide his reaction to Willow when her lack of filter allows him to see himself through her eyes. Awesome book!
AnnMarie – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
4.5 Stars
Nothing to Fear, from Juno Rushdan, is beautifully balanced romantic suspense filled with well-written action scenes and a sweet romance. I loved Gideon and Willow and could have read about them for days.
Book 2 in Rushdan’s Final Hour series, Nothing to Fear picks up shortly after Every Last Breath (book 1) ends. While this can technically be a standalone with a new romantic couple, there are plot points that begin in ELB that are part of an overall story arc for the series.
Gideon is called the Reaper and for good reason. Physically he is ghost-like with pale blond hair and pale blue eyes. He’s been an assassin for the CIA and now for Gray Box, the fictional black ops group that is the setting for the series. The presence of a mole is revealed in ELB and as Nothing to Fear opens clues are pointing to Willow Harper, Gray Box’s computer expert, as the traitor. Gideon has always been soft on Willow and takes it upon himself to watch over her and prove she’s innocent.
I loved Willow from the beginning. Willow is a great character that just happens to have Asperger’s. I loved how Rushdan wrote her, weaving Willow’s Asperger’s characteristics flawlessly into the narrative, giving readers a heroine who isn’t defined by her condition. She’s always been attracted to Gideon, but never felt like she was his type.
Together, Willow and Gideon make perfect sense. There’s a mutual respect between them that’s a perfect foundation for their romance. They have fantastic chemistry and Willow’s softness helps break through the tough exterior that Gideon puts up.
I think there’s a real talent to intertwining romance and suspense into a novel and managing to hold onto readers. Getting the action scenes right is tricky; writing them into a romance with multiple secondary characters and all sorts of things going on requires a certain balance and Rushdan executes it perfectly. Nothing to Fear played out in my mind like a movie with easy to see settings, the romance building at the right pace with a burn that left me quickly turning pages, and suspense that literally had me gasping out loud. More so, Rushdan left just enough clues to have me working out the mystery but not enough to make it obvious.
I definitely recommend this book and series!
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for honest feedback.
Wow!!!! I’m completely speechless. Ms. Rushdan has really outdone herself with book 2 in the Final Hour series.
Nothing To Fear has the suspense, intrigue and romance that makes this book one you won’t want to put down.
Nothing to Fear is the second book in the series, I was lucky enough to be able to read the first book and now to follow up with this one. The book is very well written, action packed romactic suspense. The chemistry between Gideon and Willow was awesome, and I found this book even more enjoyable than the first book in the series. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
Book 2 in a great series. Suspense, romance, mystery, intrigue. This book is with Gideon (super spy) and Willow ( super analyst) with ADS. Right in the beginning, bam – something happens. And we are off. This is pretty much non stop action, some romance. Some hot sex. We learn a little more about the traitor,we see the political aspects in, just like in any job, and we have our HEA. Hints about about possible hook ups and I am excited to see them. I was so floored when the inside mole was known. Well done. Thank you for the arc! All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am looking forward to the next in the series.
Gideon Stone, a Gray Box agent, is investigating Willow Harper as a suspect of the mole, Cobalt, recruited by Daedelaus, a notorious information and arms broker. She is a loner and an unknown, but Gideon has been attracted to her for some time and cannot believe that she is the traitor in their group. Afraid that she will be detained before he can prove her innocent, he takes her on the run with him to investigate the evidence so far lined up against her. Over the next intense days, they come to know one another and their attraction blazes. Can two wildly different people make it together – he is a ruthless assassin and she is an introvert on the autism spectrum. This is an action packed, page-turner of a novel and I can’t wait to read the last part of this trilogy.
Awesome book. 6 stars
Nothing to Fear is a thrilling romantic suspense that had me hooked from the very beginning. I was intrigued by the story, the characters, and the drama.
Willow and Gideon’s story is unexpected and a wild ride. They are so different from each other and have a bond that is surprising to most. Their differences made it such a fun story. Willow is always sticking to the rules. Some of her colleagues see her as the hard-worker that is somewhat anti-social but there is so much more to her story. Gideon is known to get his job done and do it without ever having to worry about feelings being involved.
Willow and Gideon end up on the same path forcing them to bond. Once they begin to learn more about one another, the passion and heat turns up a few notches. Their chemistry is magnetic and undeniable.
I give Nothing to Fear 4 stars. It’s an all-around good story that’s addicting from the start to end. Nothing to Fear (Final Hour Book 2) Juno Rushdan
I am so glad that I have come upon this author! Ms. Rushdan’s writing is AMAZING!!! I loved the first book and lurrrvvveeeddd this one even more, Lol. I started reading it last night, fell asleep on my Kindle reading it and have been sneaky reading while at work, Lol. Shhhh, don’t tell anyone, but I finally finished it and could not type fast enough to write this review. So freaking good!!!! Filled with romantic suspense that keeps you alive throughout the story. Loved, loved how Gideon and Willow were together. Totally, exciting read and I cannot wait for the next book. I am eagerly anticipating it. I want more of Ms. Rushdan, Just bloody fantastic!!!! 5 WONDROUS, TERRIFIC, STUPEFYING, CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF MS. RUSHDAN, STARS********
****I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book provided by NetGalley*****