Running StrongAn LCR Elite NovelWhen passion meets destiny, the consequences can be fatalHaving seen the worst of humanity, Raphael Sanchez has always wanted to make a difference in the world. Years ago, Last Chance Rescue saved him from certain death, and from that moment, his primary goal was to become an LCR operative. Now an Elite operative, Raphael lives his dream daily, rescuing victims … daily, rescuing victims from horrific circumstances.
Giselle Reddington barely remembers the life she once lived and desperately wants to forget the life she chose. She lives for only one goal, has only one focus. Last Chance Rescue is her last hope, her only hope. Though terrified of the secrets that will be revealed, she has no choice but to ask for their help.
Raphael and Giselle were once in love, but fate ripped them apart. Now they must reunite for a mission neither of them imagined. To Raphael, this is the most important rescue mission of his life. For Giselle, there is no life if the mission fails.
The forces of evil can carry deadly consequences, and innocence can be lost beneath the heavy load. But Last Chance Rescue was created for times such as these, and there’s no one better to rescue the innocent and wreak havoc on the wicked.
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I have been a avid reader of Christy Reece’s books ever since she developed the LCR series. I have to say that Running Strong is her best work ever! If you have read Christy’s past novels you will be thrilled to see past heroes gathered together in Running Strong. Not only will you see your beloved characters from the past but also one of those love to hate evil villains. I give Running Strong 5 stars. If you love action, strong men and women and happily ever after read Running Strong!
“Raphael glanced out the window but instead of the dark night skies, he saw Giselle the first day he’d met her.” This is the moment that brought me back and sucked me in to my favorite book series. I have been waiting for Raphael to grow up and see what kind of man he would become. This story was filled with action, heartbreak, suspense and love. The love in this story is not only between the main characters but the love of the family you are born with and that you accumulate along the way. If I had 10 stars this book would get them!
Raphael and Giselle were star crossed lovers as teens. Giselle has to go into WITSEC and wrote a note to end it with Raphael. Now 7 years later Giselle needs help and turns to LCR and Raphael.
Full of suspense from beginning to end that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I loved the story and the characters. This is part of a series but it could be read as a stand alone. I would give this book 4 1/2 stars.
Christy Reece has managed to give her readers another terrific romantic suspense story. While part of the LCR Elite series, this book can be read as a stand alone. The supporting characters are the same from story to story but each book follows one couple & their journey to happiness.
Raphael & Giselle fell in love when they were younger & were tragically torn apart. Giselle loved him too much to let him forgo his dreams as she entered WITSEC & the nomadic lifestyle that goes with it.
Fast forward several years & Raphael has the life of his dreams but can’t enjoy it without Giselle. Giselle finds herself in danger & turns to Raphael & LCR for help. While bringing down the crime family threatening Giselle, the chemistry & attraction grows between Giselle & Raphael while they remember what drew them together in the past. Will Raphael forgive her for the way she left him? What will he do when he finds out the secret she’s withheld from him for all these years?
I enjoy these stories & the mix of romance & suspense. They are gritty stories about the Alpha men & strong women that protect others when they can’t look out for themselves. I love the way they have become a family & have each other’s back. The strong connections & interactions between them adds emotion & drama to the story. This is a story that grabbed my attention from the first page & didn’t let up until the last page was finished.
Running Strong
An LCR Elite Novel
Christy Reece
From beginning to end this story grips you and doesn’t let go. Heart wrenching emotions as you follow Raphael and Giselle in their quest against two sets of evil. Join in the twists and turns that stop you from putting down the book until the very end.
Can love conquer all or will evil win out in the end.
Must read it to find out.
When you read a Christy Reece book, you expect a few things. You expect a villain that is evil and demented, you expect to be entertained from the first page to the last and lastly you expect a fun, action packed journey. That is exactly what you get with Running Strong. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. While I have loved all of the LCR Elite series, I have to admit, this was by far my favorite. A second chance love story with some twists and turns that will keep you guessing. As a bonus, some of our favorites from the LCR family pop in to help save the day.
Second chance books are always great and this is no exception. I love his author and tha we revisit characters throughout the series. I highly recommend this and all of her stories.
I’m so glad we got Raphael and Giselle’s story ! We first met them in a previous LCR story , and this one didn’t disappoint. Christy Reece outdid herself with this one. Not only Raphael and Giselle, but a lot of the LCR crew from previous books come together to stop some truly evil people! Nonstop action and emotion , and characters we’ve enjoyed over the years . Great addition to the series! It can be read as a stand-alone but do yourself a favor and read the whole LCR and LCR elite series ! One of the best out there !
Christy Reece just keeps giving life to these stories, each and every time. The LCR series and the LCR Elite have become almost like family. Each story catches us up with some couples from other stories and usually involve them in the current storyline. This time, it’s epic.
Raphael was introduced a few years ago as a young boy, looking to escape the life he was being forced to live. He wanted more and the LCR group were the ones to help him find it. Little did he know the life he would have.
Giselle was the captive of a madman and she didn’t even know it. When her father’s evil nature came out and she realized the life she had been living was full of lies, the only person she could trust was the boy who had been there with her through it all. Together, they would make a new life.
But fate always has its own plan and evil seems to never really be conquered. As the past catches up with Giselle and Raphael, they have to learn how to let go of past mistakes and move on to a new and better future.
Thank you, Christy Reece, for always giving us those heroes we can believe in and the strong women who stand beside them.
Oh my goodness my heart is pounding, my blood pressure is sky high and wow what an amazing, addictive and incredible book. It has everything you could ever hope for in this fast paced non stop story. All the characters are there all pulling together to save the day. I absolutely loved this and highly recommend it to you. Perfect just perfect.
I really don’t know what to write without giving anything away. Giselle goes to LCR for help but in order to get their help she must tell her secrets. Raphael, a member of the LCR Elite Group, loved Giselle once but when she left him, she took his heart with her. Now they must face their past and the present that is set out to destroy them. Can they find their way past old hurts or will it tear them apart?
Believe me when I say this is an awesome story. Plenty of action, suspense, and a little romance. No cliffhangers and very little sex. But the story will keep you on the edge of your seat. I love Ms. Reece’s books and she definitely has a hit with this one.
One of my favorite authors, and an automatic one-click buy every time!
Christy has a way of drawing you in, and making you feel what the characters are feeling.
I found myself biting my nails during certain parts, and grabbing a tissue for others.
At one point in the story, I actually did a fist pump when a particularly nasty character got his comeuppance!
Story revolves around Raphael and Giselle. Two star crossed lovers who get a second chance at having a future together.
I’m a fan of second chance romances, because sometimes timing is everything.
Giselle and Raphael had to overcome many obstacles on the road to their HEA.
They were very young when they first met and fell in love, and too many things stood in the way for them.
Betrayal, miscommunication, pride, & good intentions all played a factor in keeping them apart. Oh yes, and add a really villainy villain(or three) to the mix and the two of them never stood a chance!
Raphael is such a great character. I like how he can admit he’s wrong and his compassion, and empathy for others allows him to forgive and rediscover love with his soulmate.
Giselle is an amazing character. She’s had to overcome so much in her life. She’s courageous, strong and loving.
Really enjoyed the inclusion of past LCR operatives from previous books. Of course,
loved seeing Noah and Samara (my all time favorite couple!).
Maybe a new storyline with LCR operative Olivia Gates and a shadowy organization working behind the scenes to right wrongs is in the works…? I’m intrigued!
I look forward to reading more in this series.
I would recommend reading the entire series chronologically, but each novel can be read as a stand alone.
I have loved every book Christy Reece has written and Running Strong is no exception. I have read & loved all the LCR & LCR Elite books, but I have been waiting for the story of Raphael and Giselle. Their story was beautiful, I couldn’t put it down and was seriously upset when “adulting” kept me from reading. The story kept me enthralled and on the edge from beginning to end. I can take or leave second chance romances they must be very well written & believable for me to enjoy them and this was SO was. I love that both characters were able to open up to each other and admit their faults in regard to what put them in their current situation. I love Christy Reeece’s books because they have a perfect mix of romance & suspense. I love that in this story we got to see a few old friends and get a small glimpse as to where they are in their personal lives right now.
Wow! This book is such a gem! In fact, it’s one of my favorite Romantic Suspense books in a very long time.
Evil never died. It might be suppressed for a while, diminished for a time. But then evil bloomed again, reborn into a different shape, a new way to cause destruction.
Evil continued to thrive.
~ Running Strong, Christy Reece ~
Life as we see it is a school of good and evil, and it is left to us humans to choose a path. Rafael Sanchez and Giselle Reddington are two ends of this spectrum, yet they are bound by destiny, separated by fate and brought together with a common goal to destroy the demons hiding in plain sight.
As much as this is Rafael and Giselle’s story, this is also the beginning of the end of a series that is held so very close to my heart.
He who does not punish evil commands it to be done. ~Leonardo Da Vinci ~
And Noah McCall and his team of LCR operatives are “Running Strong” as ever to punish this very evil that comes in any form or shape. An honor they believe with their souls and a mission they see through with every breath of their lives; to save the innocent and keep their families safe.
Words will not do justice to Christy Reece’s finale of the Last Chance Rescue Series (aka LCR). The thrill is in the narration, the suspense is in the plot, and emotions in actions, as every LCR operative comes together to mete out the final judgement.
For any new reader starting with “Running Strong”, I can guarantee that it’s a losing battle to resist the temptation of knowing where it had all started. Every story is a screenplay of intimate details, a treacherous pathway of betrayal and pain, unconditional journey of loyalty and integrity, a rollercoaster ride of love and unity. And every LCR operative has endured and succeeded!
This series is written with heart, characters created with the utmost care and detail, be it the good or the bad, and plots created by one of the most sophisticated authors I have the pleasure of reading, right next to Nora Roberts/J. D. Robb!
Received an ARC from the author for an honest review.
I loved this book. We met Raphael and Giselle years before this story takes place when her father, Reddington (one of the vilest of criminals), was taken down. They were in love then, but now was their real chance at happiness, but a lot had to be worked through to get to that point. There are consequences for everything and the answers are not always simple, but sometimes, love is the easiest answer. Don’t miss this book!
I have been a huge LCR-LCR Elite fan from the very beginning. I’ve been looking forward to Raphael’s story for years. Christy’s writing always brings out all the emotions and she writes in-depth characters that stay with you forever. I highly recommend Running Strong. It’s one of my favorite of the series. We get to see and visit past characters. Raphael and Giselle’s story is beautiful. If you’ve read all the LCR books you’ll remember when they met. Their story is full of hurt, forgiveness and above everything else love.
Christy writes evil villains with scary greatness.
“We’ve faced some of the most evil and shittiest people on the planet. Monsters who have done unspeakable things. We’ve had a few stumbles here and there but for the most part, we’ve managed to stop them. “These people are different. They’ve got layers upon layers. Every time we think we’ve got a thread it disappears down a rabbit hole.”
Any reader who loves Romantic Suspense should read this. I do HIGHLY recommend reading the series so you can truly appreciate the characters.
LCR has been one of my favorite book series. I feel nostalgic knowing that it ended but relieved that it ended as it started, with 5 stars in excellency. Thank you Mrs. Reece, nothing is as scary as reading the last book in a series and not knowing if it will be a let down.
It is impossible not to mention Noah, don’t worry I won’t spoil the book, he is the first reason to open any LCR book and he always will be. It is no surprise for anyone that he did shine in Running Strong too. I was thrilled to see the original crew in this one. That was an unexpected gift and I almost stopped reading Running Strong so I could reread the entire series and have them all fresh in my mind. It really was a nice surprise.
“Lord Lucas” swoon.
Last, Rafael and Giselle’s second chance love story journey was tragic, beautiful and full of twists adding another winning story to a great series.
Running Strong brings us full circle back to characters – both good and bad – from an earlier book in the LCR series. Giselle Reddington father was evil incarnate and at the end of Sweet Revenge his reign of terror came to an end and Giselle and her mother and siblings were finally free. But Stanford Reddington even locked away for life still has power and influence on the outside.
Giselle and Raphael Sanchez were young when they met and fell in love during the time LCR was working to take her father down. They continued their romance in college but her father’s threats had Giselle making a huge sacrifice to keep Raphael safe.
After some backstory in the first chapter the story jumps 7 years to current day where Giselle has once again found herself in danger and needing LCR’s help which includes LCR Elite operative Raphael who has done his best to put his broken heart and anger over how Giselle dumped him 7 years ago.
As per this series we get an emotional story full of heartbreak and suspense. These characters after all these years have become like family and its sad this is the last of the LCR elite series but it was a very satisfying conclusion and I can wait to see what’s next from this author.
I loved this story. I was immersed in the action from the get go.
Christy Reece tells a story like no other. I had a few moments while reading when I got upset, knowing that this was the last book of this series. Ms. Reece spent some time within the storyline catching up with past characters. It was like going home for a family reunion, but the time went by in the blink of an eye and then you get that forlorn feeling because you know time is up and you must say goodbye.
Just a quick mention about the hero and heroine of Running Strong – loved their chemistry, I felt like I was right there, as a friend of theirs, witnessing the entire scenario.