New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin raises the tension and the passion when family ambition turns deadly…
Harper Winston’s brother has disappeared. Pursuing his dream of sailing the Caribbean, Michael hasn’t responded to texts or emails in days. When even the Coast Guard can’t find him, Harper is forced to take desperate measures. Which means going to Chase Garrett, once her brother’s best friend, now the only man she can trust…or so she hopes.
As the successful owner of Maximum Security, Chase has learned to trust his gut. He knows Harper’s father is mixed up in a deadly business, and suspects there’s more to Michael’s disappearance than meets the eye. Getting involved again with the Winstons goes against everything he stands for, yet old loyalties die hard. As the case draws him closer to Harper and deeper into the Winstons’ snarled crime family, he is forced to put everything on the line to keep Harper safe…and both of them alive.
The action was fast paced, the heat level was sizzling and the story was impossible to put down. While the hunky successful heroes rushed in to save the day, the heroines were accomplished beautiful women with equal backbone and courage. I loved this story and look forward to reading the following installments in this new Kat Martin series!
“The Conspiracey” by Kat Martin narrator: Ryan Turner duration: 11:12:34
a Harlequin Audio via the New Hampshire State Library
Another Kat Martin romantic suspense thriller that will have you staying up late to read just one more chapter and then just one more again and again…. My copy of the story was an audio download from my state library.. It was worth the wait for my turn to borrow the copy I just finished. If buying your own copy of this story is not in your financial plan… then get your name on your library’s wait list for this story print or audio which ever you prefer. If your library does not own a copy… ask them about getting a copy for you to borrow.
Exciting suspense! The action starts quickly with this book and continues throughout. The characters are interesting and well-developed, and the story line kept my attention. A solid read!
Harper Winston needs help. Her brother set out to sail the Caribbean alone and she hasn’t heard from him in days. She knows something has happened because she made Michael promise to keep in touch and she knows he wouldn’t be playing games like this … not with her. She knows just the man to contact, but she’s not sure he’s going to agree to help her.
Chase Garrett was once Michael’s best friend, until destruction and lifestyles didn’t exactly mesh between them anymore. As the owner of Maximum Security, he understands why Harper comes asking for help, he’s just not so sure he wants to get mixed up in her family drama again. He has no doubt that her brother is in danger, but his biggest suspicion leads right back to the shady business dealings of their father.
With fast-paced rough, tough, and deadly action and suspense and lust-filled romance, the new series by Kat Martin centering around the Maximum Security is introduced to the readers.
I’m a long time fan of the author, I especially liked the books from Alaska, the unforgiving nature as part of the romantic suspense giving it another dimension. I liked The Conspiracy, even enjoyed the second half of it immensely, it was entertaining and engaging with the unpredictable suspense and savage scenes where the action is up close, and personal combat where no one is safe. I do have some conflicting thoughts about some things, and I have been rewriting this review now too many times.
The book has multiple of sub-storylines, even a secondary romance happening on the sidelines. The point of view changes from the protagonists to the culprits to the secondary characters and so on. Yes, that kind of storytelling gives a well-rounded view of things happening, yet it can also be a bit chaotic at times as well and take away from the intensity of the main focus.
The romance between Harper Winston and Chase Garrett was intriguing, a former best friend’s little sister type of attraction in between them. In the first half of the book, the lust-filled sexual thoughts didn’t feel truly natural, instead, those inner monologues came off even a bit awkward at times. (Now, I read an e-arc from NetGalley, so there might have been more editing after that copy was released). Chase is lusting after Harper’s body, but he is not fond of her family and has no plans to have any kind of relationship with her. There are some things said and mentioned at the beginning about Harper’s and Chase’s current and past relationships that were a bit cringe-worthy, yet that kind of mentality is dropped soon after, and (thankfully) there’s no follow up on those issues either.
The first half of the book it felt at times like the author was searching for an edgier way to write, filling the thoughts of the protagonists with erotic type longing, that didn’t quite feel fitting in. There’s even a scene at the half point that nearly had me dropping the whole book, yet I’m glad I didn’t since things smooth out in the second half, and really picks up, the suspense being intense with twists in the plot, and revenge been sought from the past actions.
The Conspiracy introduces the main characters of the new series. I liked the bond between the Garrett brothers, their love and support of each other is a palpable force in the story, saving the day, and lives, several times. The exciting life Garrett’s are living, and their connections to the law enforcement enticed my mind and I am looking forward to the next installment in the series.
Druglords, kidnappings, fighting for the justice, and family drama invite the readers to the alluring world of the Maximum Security, yet it is the character and reputation of the Garretts and the seductive, desire-filled romance that will make me want to come back for more.
~ Three Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
Thrilled for this new series by Kay Martin. I fell in love with the heroine’s determination and the hero’s battle to reconcile the difference between his (low) expectations and the strong woman beside him. The plot was fast paced and gave enough time to secondary characters that you want to read their stories as well.
I love Kat Martin, and as with everything I’ve read that was written by her, this was a great selection. I enjoyed every page.
If you like rollercoasters, you will love this book, that is a page turning adventure with all the hills and valleys, twists and turns of the rollercoaster that you will be riding. This is the first book in a new series by an author who specializes in handsome, rugged, brave and compassionate heroes and the strong women who they find as their match. The characters are masterfully developed with a riveting plot and adeptly written narrative.
Harper Winston had known Chase Garrett since her 16 birthday, when her brother Michael, brought his best friend at college home with him. After Michael had gotten into heavy drug use, Chase had distanced himself from Michael. Now at 35, Harper is the senior partner of Elemental Chic, a clothing company, while Chase, 35, owns Maximum Security, a PI, security and bail enforcement firm. Michael had cleaned up his act and now owned his own tech company. Michael has gone missing while sailing in the Caribbean and Harper comes to Chase to help her find him, insisting that she is coming along, or will go by herself. This is just the first steep slope in this adventure. And this being a romance, of course, they will find themselves attracted to each other.
I received a free advanced copy of this book from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Kat Martin is one of my favorite authors! The Conspiracy is a page-turning book with twists and turns that made me not ever want to put the book down! If you like light thriller romances check out Kat’s books!
This story was a page turner. From the first reintroduction between Chase and Harper this story was full of action, alpha men, chemistry and resolve. Chase can’t stop himself from being drawn to Harper and finding her brother is how he tries to ease the guilt he feels that he didn’t do more to help Michael years earlier. The Max men protect those who are depending on them and they come through. This was a great start to this new series can’t wait for the next installment.
Other hit for Kat Martin, anyone who has read any of her books know you can’t go wrong .
This is other suspenseful, fast moving story about some of the people we meet in her Texas Series,
Harper is looking for her missing brother, knowing something is very wrong. She goes to Chase
head of Maximum Security who use to be her brother’s best friend till he got into drugs.
She has always had a crush on Chase but hopes she and he can work together to find Michael.
There is bad blood between her father, Chase’s father and Chase himself.
There is lot’s of action, danger, twist and turns and or course romance. Everything we love and except for Kat.
Grab and copy and get started, my son bought mine and I loved it, can’t wait for the next one.
I was a little surprised that the other two preview books, “Wait until Dark ” and After the Sunrise”
both written before this book stories didn’t carry over to this one. The man from both our here but the women in both stories are not and the guys seem like they are single ?? That was a little disappointing.
The Conspiracy has a solid start, setting up the storyline and introducing the main characters, and it takes off at a good clip. However, somewhere toward the middle it loses momentum with some serious lags in the story, and I found myself wanting to skim several times throughout the rest of the book. There are plenty of twists and action along the way, but the in between needs some serious tightening up. Most of the characters are pretty straightforward as far as who’s good and who’s bad – the villains are all, well, villainous in characteristics and looks, and the good guys are nice-looking, well-built, etc. Main characters Chase and Harper do have a bit more development than the secondaries, but some of that development makes them a little hard to connect with. Chase is rather sanctimonious in his opinions and painting everyone in Harper’s family with the same brush. And Harper, I just couldn’t get on board with her at all. She put me in mind of the swooning ladies from so many historical romances. She does a fair bit of crying and turning pale, and the gasps every time she glimpsed Chase’s body grew repetitive and tedious. We have all of that combined with a determined woman ready to jump into the fray and fight shoulder to shoulder with Chase and company. Harper was like two different people and I would’ve liked to have seen more of that determined and strong heroine. In the end, there were things I liked and things I didn’t with this one, and as of right now, I’m undecided on whether I’ll continue with the series.
It was mediocre
Very boring.
My Rating:
3.5
My Review:
I believe I would have enjoyed it more if I were a man as it was nonstop action with abductions, jungle trekking, gunfights, car crashes, rescues, explosions, dispassionate and ruthless criminals, revenge-seeking cartels, DEA agents, mercenary extractions, family drama, etc. But I am not a man and was instead expecting a story of romantic suspense instead of a busy he-man’s adventure tale. There was a bit of romance and steamy sex scenes, but the sweeter relationship was the one between the secondary characters instead of the main ones. Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t a badly written book and the premise and various twists and storylines were interesting, the writing style just wasn’t my cup of tea. My favorite scenes were of those involving Michael, who was the most likable and considerate of the bunch.
The Conspiracy is the the first novel in the Maximum Security series by Kat Martin, and while this romantic suspense novel got off to really good start, it began to flounder somewhat in the latter half, and for this reason, as well as several others, I can only give it 3 stars.
Harper Winston, the heroine, hasn’t heard from her brother, Michael, in a week. He was sailing solo to the Caribbean in his new yacht, but had promised to phone her every day and he hasn’t. She takes her worry to Maximum Security, a company owned and operated by the hero, Chase Garrett, who was one of her brothers’ closest friends years earlier, but who drifted away when Michael got heavily into drugs and drinking. Michael’s been clean for 5 years, and no sooner do Harper and Chase see each other again when old feelings of attraction and lust kick in for this pair. As Chase was Michael’s best friend years earlier, Harper had previously been off-limits to Chase, but now that Harper wants Chase to find her missing brother, and plans to go along on the search, those feelings are ready to surface again. Add to that piracy, finding the missing yacht, abduction, a Colombian drug cartel, Michael being located and rescued, and the first half of the book grabbed you and didn’t let go.
Unfortunately, the second half of the novel floundered because rather than continuing to focus on the two main characters and their growing relationship, the entire staff of the Maximum Security Agency is introduced. Of course, like Chase, each one of them is more gorgeous and hunky than the next–and while I have no problem with hunky, handsome heroes, I’d have preferred that at least a few of them been introduced in upcoming novels in this series, rather than all at once in this first novel, and I’d have preferred a couple of normal looking guys be included in the mix. The intermittent addition of alternating narration also added some unnecessary confusion, as did the revelation that Michael was only Harper’s half-brother, and a half-brother to Chase and his other brothers as well.
I was also surprised by Harper’s shock when she learns of her father’s involvement with the drug cartel, among other shady businesses, like sex trafficking. How Harper could have avoided knowing about her father’s illegal activities, and how he acquired his vast wealth, when she was otherwise a bright and savvy businesswoman, was almost too hard to believe, as was her spot-on, excellent marksmanship when helping her brother regain his freedom when she admittedly had only ever held a gun once before, and never shot one.
The other problem I had with the second half of this novel was the maniacal drug lord’s obsession with kidnapping Harper and making her his sex slave, just to spite Harper’s father and make him suffer, all over something that happened between them years earlier. It certainly added some length to the novel but, in this readers opinion, it did so at the cost of believability. Further, when thugs abduct Harper’s business partner, and want to trade her for Harper, the sheer amount of manpower sent by the drug lord was so far over the top that it seemed utterly ridiculous, especially when compared to the limited number of good guys sent to guard and protect her.
Finally, while the author made it clear that Harper and Chase were hot for each other, she didn’t make the reader feel it–I simply felt no connection to either of them, and with the amount of action and drama within the novel, some character development and depth would have added a lot to my feelings about both main characters, who seemed rather shallow and underdeveloped beyond their wanting to have sex with one another. Harper seemed incredibly naive about her father, her feelings for Chase, her wants and her needs, while Chase seemed only to care about Harper’s looks, her manner of dress, and how soon he could get her back into his bed.
Kat Martin is an excellent writer, and I’ve enjoyed quite a few of her novels over the years, but I felt that The Conspiracy was not one of her best efforts. In some ways she’d tried to pack as much as possible into this novel in the way of action and suspense, but the romance in this romantic suspense novel seemed more than a little thin and would have benefited greatly by giving her main characters some depth beyond merely lusting after one another. It wasn’t a bad read, but it wasn’t a great one either.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
3.5 Stars
I love a good romantic suspense so I was intrigued by The Conspiracy and hadn’t previously read any of Kat Martin’s work. I have mixed feelings regarding this title, whilst it had the suspense, intrigue, action & unforeseen twists and turns that I crave from a romantic suspense, the characters kind of fell flat for me. The connection between them at times felt too forced and not organic. At times I loved both the hero and heroine, but at other times they frustrated me with their repetitive points of view. There is also a lot of information in this book for one title, with multiple points of view and plot lines, I was quite captivated by the first half of the story, but kind of got bogged down in the details in the second half.
Harper Winston is the heroine, she’s attractive, successful and hard working. She grew up in a life of privilege, and is somewhat naïve, but will fight for those she cares for most. She is quite independent and head strong.
Chase Garrett is a private investigator, and former best friend to Harper’s older brother Michael. He’s intense, protective and kind, but has a tendency to be a bit arrogant and self righteous at times. Of the two main characters I preferred his character over Harper, but he frustrated me with the repetitive reasoning for not following through on the attraction they share.
There were several side characters who captivated my attention and I quite enjoy a series with connected standalones so will be checking out the next title in the series.
I recommend this title is you enjoy suspenseful story, as the romance definitely takes a back seat to the investigation of Michaels disappearance in this title.