HE LOST HER ONCE. HE’LL DIE BEFORE LOSING HER AGAIN.Growing up, she was his best friend’s little sister. For years, he’s kept his distance. Now, it may be too late.Former Delta Force Operator Jake McQueen can handle anything…except losing the only woman he’s ever loved. Driven by an intense need for revenge, Jake and the other members of R.I.S.C travel deep into the jungle to find those … find those responsible and make them pay for shattering his entire world. What Jake doesn’t expect to find is his very own miracle.
After narrowly escaping a fate worse than death, Olivia Bradshaw gets a second chance at life…and love. Still devastated by the violence she’s been forced to endure, Olivia struggles to overcome her paralyzing guilt and shame. Can she forgive herself and learn to accept what fate has claimed, or will she lose the chance to finally be with Jake the way she’s always dreamed about?
This book is part one of a 2-part series opener. Taking a Risk Part One is Jake and Olivia’s Happy For Now, and Taking a Risk, Part Two is their Happy Ever After. Theirs is the only story in this series that is divided into two books. All other couples get their HEA in one.
“One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. If you like Susan Stoker, you’ll love Ms. Blakely’s R.I.S.C. Series.” – USA Today Best Selling Author Elle Boon.
“2019’s breakout author! Blakely’s debut novel has all the makings of a sexy thrill ride.” – Best Selling Author, Riley Edwards.
*All R.I.S.C. novels are full-length and filled with love, action and edge of your seat suspense. Every R.I.S.C. member will get their own Happily Ever After…of course, they’ll have to fight for it, first. Don’t miss your chance to see how this exciting new series begins.
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This author is new but her stories are so well written you’d never know it.
This is book 1 and part 1 of Taking a Risk-it does end in a type of cliffhanger. It’s about Jake McQueen, a former member of delta forces, who owns RISC. And Olivia Bradshaw, his best friend who he has been told was murdered while helping on a mission trip. Jake and members of his team have traveled deep into the jungle in order to get revenge on the people he believes murdered the one woman he loved but never thought he could have. What he never expected was to find Olivia not only alive but running after breaking free from her captors. Olivia has been held for weeks and after figuring out what they planned to do with her, she has just been waiting for her chance to either escape or force them to kill her. Especially when she knows there isn’t going to be anyone coming to her rescue. When she finally has her chance and takes it, she never expects to run (literally) right into Jake and his team. Or that they would have to fight their way out on their own when they are separated from that team.
I absolutely loved this book by this brand new author! For a debut book, it is definitely an excellent read. The story pulls you in and I was wanting to cry from the beginning!! The action is jam packed and I loved the introduction to all of these characters! Olivia has a core of steel, even when the things are absolutely horrible for her. She still manages to stand up and keep going because she knows she has to for the people she loves. Jake broke my heart at first but once he finds Olivia, all I could hope for was that he would be able to step up and tell her everything he never thought he had the right to before. And I really want to know his secret!!! Just be prepared because it is part 1 so it is a full read but it is not the complete story for these characters. I loved it and can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
Very good short story with plenty of action and romance. Great quick, fun read. Looking forward to second installment.
Great book I loved so much I had to get Part 2 to continue the story.
Found this book quite by accident. Finished all 5 in a couple days and am eagerly awaiting the next!
4.5 Stars
This is part one of book one of the R.I.S.C. series and it features Jake and Olivia. She’s his deceased best friends sister and he’s wanted her for a very long time. They’ve known each other since they were children. He never acted on his attraction because of bro-code. Never mess with your best friend sister. She was on a trip to Madagascar with other nurses and doctors to render medical aid to the hurricane torn country when local druglords ambushed their camp and killed them all except for her. Jake, thinking she was dead, assembled his team to hunt down all that were involved…and make them pay.
Awesome story line! The flow is so smooth and nothing was left unsaid or undone. The action and suspense were unbelievable! I’m definitely looking forward to part two.
This was the first time I’ve read Anna Blakely, and already I’m anxious to read the whole series! Non-stop suspense plus steamy friends-to-lovers romance…what’s not to love? I was gifted part one and part two by Hidden Gems and the author in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
Cliff hanger
Wow! Great story, wonderful intense love story
great book and the next one too.
Kept It interesting; cliff hanger so need to purchase Part II to read end of story which was annoying.
OMG!
Ms. Blakely has written one of the best first books I’ve had the privilege of reviewing! The “edge of your chair” read centers around Jake and Olivia. He is driven by both honor and love when he and his team travel deep into the jungle to save her from danger. The first time he sees her she is running from the “death camp” after all of her compatriots have been massacred. Despite his shock that she has survived, he and his teammates are able to free her only after she struggles valiantly. Terrific characters, story, and writing signify great prospects for her writing career.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Plenty of action and drama with an interesting and unique plot:
An entertaining romantic suspense novel with plenty of adventure and action. Whilst it drew me in from the very beginning, I did not feel as if the story progressed enough and I wish that the author had not divided it into two parts. So much remains unresolved and it is for this reason that I am only giving this book 3 stars. I would not have purchased this had it not been gifted to me in exchange for a review and although I’d like to find out what happens to Jake and Olivia and see justice done, I won’t bother purchasing part 2 (each part costs the same as longer, complete books do so you end up having to pay double…)
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Action packed as the tension builds
Taking A Risk Part 1 (R.I.S.C. Series 1) by Anna Blakely is a very well written romantic suspense in which Jake and Olivia are given an incredible gift. They have known each other for years, secretly loved one another yet for reasons they thought were important, never pursued each other.
Jake, a security specialist is often in harm’s way, saving others or protecting the innocent. Olivia, an emergency room nurse with empathy and compassion to spare, volunteers her medical training after a natural disaster and leads to her capture while the world presumes she has died along with her colleagues.
These two collide (quite literally!) at the most opportune time and as a result Jake vows to tell Olivia how he feels. Olivia struggles with survivors guilt and Jake employs some tough love. Through it all, these two experience a wide range of emotions that pull the heartstrings and endear these characters to the reader.
Overall, this romantic suspense is very well written, keeping the reader captivated and constantly on edge. Jake and Olivia just can’t seem to catch a break, and, even when they do it’s short lived! I’m completely on pins and needles for Part 2 and have added it to my TBR ASAP list! If any couple deserves a HEA, it’s Jake and Olivia. I can’t wait to see them reap the rewards.
I read an ARC of this book from Hidden Gems and voluntarily share my review.
Anna Blakely, ‘Taking a Risk’, Part one.
R.I.S.C. Series 1.
As a Hidden Gems ARC reader I received a free copy and promised an honest review. Here it is.
Rating: 4 stars (of 5).
In general: From friends to lovers.
Main characters:
– Olivia Bradshaw (31).
She’s an emergency room nurse at a hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth and volunteered for a medical aid mission in Madagascar, a country recently hit by a hurricane. She secretly has – since her youth – a crush on the best friend of her brother Mike, who was killed in action about ten years ago.
– Jake McQueen (34).
Owner of the private security firm R.I.S.C. His company often works for the government in foreign countries. He too had since his youth secretly a crush on the little sister, ‘Liv’, of his best friend Mike. But never told her about it, for dating the little sister of your friend is ‘not done’. After her brother’s death Olivia and Jake became best friends. Jake didn’t tell her about his true feelings because he thought that his job was too dangerous to have a permanent relationship.
In Madagascar Olivia’s medical team is killed by a drug cartel from Venezuela, dealing on this island. The criminals act as if the whole medical team was killed. Jake wants revenge. He meets with his security team and everyone volunteers for this mission.
The author, Anna Blakely, describes the revenge mission. It results in a lot of exciting action scenes in the jungle of Venezuela, some hot sex scenes and interesting information about the methods modern governments use in reaction against international, criminal enemies.
All in all an interesting book with an exciting plot and for me a pleasure to read. I had only some doubts about the credibility of Liv’s hesitations and little self confidence when it seemed that the dreams from her youth were about to be fulfilled.
R. Huiszoon.
this is a group review of the first 3 books….
Anna Blakely’s new series, R.I.S.C. tells you just in the title ,R. Rescue; I. Intel; S. Security and C. Capture these books even though they can be read by themselves …you(just like me) won’t be able to just read one, you have to read them all.
Jake and Olivia; Taking a Risk 1&2:The first two books is their story which takes you into how Jake and his team work. Their are so many twists and turns and plots that have you at the end of your seat wondering how , what and why. Anna has you smiling,Mad, laughing, Crying and even rooting for the HEA to come sooner than later.
Trevor and Lexi; Beautiful Risk: Trevor’s book is how he starts to believe that he can move on with his life from an incident in his past where he felt that he didn’t work an operation in a better way. He meets Lexi and hoping that he finally can move on …but the past rears up and Lexi is taken. Can Trevor get his act together ans save her? Anna throws in more twists and turns but the men and woman of RISC will do everything to protect the ones they love.
This new series is one that you will be wanting if you love strong alpha men and women that fight for what they believe in, protect and fight for those that can’t protect themselves then Anna’s RISK series is one you will want to add to your TBR.
Now on to International Risk, Derek and Charlotte(Charlie) story…told you can’t just read one….
What a thrilling ride full of action and suspense in this well written fast moving plot, great characters that have you falling in love with them. The plot itself is realistic but almost harrowing at times but oh so good. I got sucked in and held gripped by the events unfolding on the pages. This does contain violence and near abuse as part of the storyline but no rape. I don’t feel this is a stand alone because the ending isn’t complete but I already knew I was going to buy and dive into the next book because it was so good. Loved it and I’m thankful to have read the free prequel that lead me to buying this.
WOW! non-stop action and non-stop emotions. From the start I was in tears. This was truly exceptional. I can’t wait to read how their story ends. Such an amazing friends to lovers story with AWESOME characters. Jake and Olivia found they had to have strength, love, and determination to fight for their life’s, and for a life together.
What a phenomenal book!!! I can’t believe this is Mrs. Blakely’s first book.
This story was gripping and nerve wracking. It has drama, suspense, comedy and romance all wrapped up in an amazing story. The action was written in a way that made you feel like you were in the story and that was fun to read.
I really liked the characters of Jake and Olivia. They were both written as strong individuals who when faced with danger, didn’t shy away. But there were also show as being able to be vulnerable. To me, especially with Jake this made him human. Some books like this the man is written in such a way that he comes of as hard and uncaring. This was not the case with Jake.
My only complaint is that I have to wait until the next installment to find out what happens. Luckily we don’t have to wait long.
I would highly recommend this book!
Taking A Risk by Anna Blakely is the first book in a two-part story in the R.I.S.C Series. What a fantastic debut from this talented author!
The story began with a bang and I was captivated from the first page. I devoured this book and could not put it down. It is full of suspense, intrigue, thrilling heart pounding action and romance.
I loved the characters of Jake and Olivia. Both were extremely likeable, engaging with a chemistry that is sizzling. Their unwavering love for each other is evident from the outset and I found myself rooting for them all the way.
There is plenty to love about this book; superb plot, skilful writing, wonderful main characters along with side characters who all have amazing potential for their own stories. I cannot wait for Part Two and the conclusion to Jake and Olivia’s story.