“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 authorHe’s strong. Fierce. Relentless.And he may be her only chance of surviving the night.Gray Box operative Castle Kinkade always gets the job done, no matter how tough the assignment. But when he agrees to protect white-hat … hacker Kit Westcott, Castle’s loyalty is tested like never before. Trapped in the closest of quarters, protective instincts flaring, he can feel the ice surrounding his heart melt…and he knows he’d do anything to keep Kit safe.Even defy the rules that shaped his life.Castle is the last person Kit should confide in, let alone be attracted to, but he’s the only ally she has left. Under threat of imminent attack—and a chilling conspiracy that hits too close to home—Castle and Kit are forced to put their hearts and lives on the line…and stop at nothing to face the greatest danger the world has ever known.The Final Hour Series:Every Last BreathNothing to FearUntil the EndWhat 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
more
Until the End is another winner from Juno Rushdan. An action packed thriller that keeps you reading and reading not wanting to put down the book. That is how I have felt with all of her books so far. You hardly have time to catch your breath before, before something else is happening. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.
I received and Advanced Readers Copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
The Final Hour series is the epitome of romantic suspense. All the books were great, but Until The End was superb. Castle and Kit are off the charts hot and made for each other. Twists and turns I didn’t see coming kept me up all night.
*4.5 stars*
An edge of your seat romance…
From the adrenaline-pumping opening lines, this story never let up on action or tension. Kit and Castle came together in the last place you would look for romance, a terrorist plot, but somehow that made the emotions sharper and stronger…
Kit was alone again, struggling with grief, her conscience and the threat of prison. Not really a good time to find love. Castle was going to be her salvation or the last nail on that prison cell door. All she needed was to trust him. Yeah, that wasn’t going to be easy…. Castle, on the other hand, wasn’t sure about her either and those doubts colored every scene, each interaction and decision they had to make. Their back and forth was full of sexual chemistry but any hint of love was tested over and over again…
I loved this edge-of-your seat read with love and country at the very heart of it. Castle and Kit were a dynamic couple and somehow managed to be each other’s port in the storm when needed, despite all they went through. Surprises around every corner, and loyalty would be pushed to the breaking point. Nothing was as it seemed and that contributed to another breathtaking, one sitting read in this series!
*Reviewed for Nerdy Dirty & Flirty
Until the End is Juno Rushdan’s third book in the Final Hour Series. I have read all of this series. To say it is addictive only begins to say how much I have loved all of the books. Gray Box operative Castle Kinkade now has his story. While each of the stories have twists that you don’t see coming, none have more or any as surprising as Until the End. The romance is hot and strong but never overshadows the main story.
The story starts out with a bang setting up the plot as to why Castle with his special skills are needed. Then there is so much more to Kit Westcott then first seen. I am always amazed at the pairing of characters in this series. The characters of this series have strong distinctiveness and originality so that they are unforgettable. I read a lot and many times the characters from the books can run together but not the Gray Box operatives with their loves to what happens to them. The romance is part of the story but not the main story line with the reason for the danger to the characters and to national security.
Then there are characters and events that you think you understand how they all fit together in this story but for one missing identity. It is the revelation of that one person ¾ or so of the way through the book that had me saying, “Wow, I never saw that coming!”. Yet looking back I can see how Ms. Rushdan gave breadcrumbs along the way, small breadcrumbs but there none the less. The plot is just that solid so that all the intricate pieces fall clearly together in the conclusion. Thrilling, action-packed and romantic. Scary, too but only because it is so believable.
Juno Rushdan is a newer author for me with this series being the only one I have read written by her. Now she is a go-to author for me. Perhaps Until the End could be read as a stand-alone but I can’t imagine why anyone would read just one. Like the potato chip commercial of old, you just can’t stop at one with this series. Top notch all the way.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
While I haven’t read the first two books in this series I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and while it is a romantic suspense there seemed much more suspense thriller than romance but after saying that there is enough to make you go ah. Would I have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous two books yes probable but after saying that it isn’t a huge problem not to.
Kit Westcott leads a white hacker group called Outliers and they have stumbled onto something big so big that it leads to the death of her entire team but Kit escapes with the hard drives and now she is on the run. Castle Kinkade a former Seal and member of Gey Box a secret government black ops group. He soon has her in safety but she doesn’t know if she can trust him after all he is government but as danger grows ever closer and they spend more time together walls start to come down Now Castle has to decide to save the woman he loves and betray all he holds dear o do as he is tole even if that sacrifices her because this danger is much bigger and closer than they realise
Another OUTFREAKINGSTNDING, EXHILARATING, ACTION-PACKED ROMANTIC SUSPENSE OF MAJOR EPIC-NESS I AM OFFICIALLY AND HAPPILY BLOWN AWAY!
Juno Rushdan had me on the very EDGE of my seat with the third Final Hour novel. Sexy, unpredictable, with nail biting suspense and twists I did not see coming. Castle and Kit’s chemistry is hot and wild from the start and oh wow, did I love every minute of their story and amazing romance. Its an intense book that I am officially in love with!
Until The End gets an INTENSE AND HEAT FILLED FIVE ACTION-PACKED STARS!
UNTIL THE END by Juno Rushdan is the first book that I have read by this author and the third book in the Final Hour romantic suspense and thriller series. It worked well as a standalone novel, but would probably work even better if the series were read in order. Castle Kinkade is an operative for Gray Box, a black ops government agency. When he agrees to protect Kit Westcott, the leader of a white-hat hacker group, his loyalty is tested. Themes explored include spies, terrorists, murder, computer hacking, clandestine government agencies, romance, family and much more.
The characters were compelling and someone you could root for. They had distinct voices, flaws and virtues and their goals were clear. The secondary characters were not as fully developed, but this did not detract from the story. The internal and external conflicts were well defined and the stakes and tension were high throughout this novel.
The plot was engrossing, moving, powerful, thought-provoking, intense and suspenseful. The pace was brisk which made the book a true page-turner. There are a few steamy scenes that start after about 60% of the book. While the romance was important, it was the action-thriller part that truly drove the story line. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Who can be trusted? Exactly how many subplots are there?
Overall, this was an action-packed romantic thriller that was a tense and gripping page-turner. I recommend it to those that enjoy action-packed romantic thrillers. I look forward to reading more of the books in this series.
Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and Juno Rushdan for a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
Nail biting, edge of your seat awesomeness!
Until the End, the third book in Rushdan’s Final Hour series is just as explosive as the first two books in the series. There is nonstop action, intrigue, danger, and suspense that will keep you glued to the pages.
The clock is ticking in this installment and time is running out. Twists and turns abound as well as a shocking betrayal that hits the team hard and has you wondering the outcome of the team and the future of Graybox. I really did not see the “reveal” of the mole coming; it was a shocker, for sure. The action explodes from the beginning of this story and is carried all the way through until the surprising end. There are subplots to unravel while following the main storyline as well as multiple points of view and several smaller threads that branch off with characters that have you wondering what is next. The details, descriptions, character development, and romantic aspects are well-written and engaging. It was just as easy to get swept away with these characters as the previous in the series. Though this book can technically stand alone, I would suggest reading it in series order to follow the Graybox operatives and their missions, as well as their personal involvements and connections throughout the series. Until the End is definitely an exciting read and a great addition to the series.
*I received an arc from NetGalley, via the publisher, and I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
Until the End completes the Final Hour Trilogy and it was a doozie. Castle Kinkade, a Gray Box agent, takes over the protection of Kit Westcott, a white hat hacker. Her team of hackers was killed in cold blood, but she was able to escape with the vital hard drives that would help foil a terrorist attack if she could survive long enough to find someone she could trust with the dangerous information encrypted on the drives. At first they cannot trust each other, but as Castle keeps his word and Kit begins to confide in him, they bond. As the Gray Box team races to uncover the terrorist plots, attacks continue against Kit. There are unexpected twists and turns in the plot and I was surprised by who turned out to be the main instigator.
This is the third book in Juno Rushdan’s Final Hour series. I encourage reading the first 2 before this one since they have some overlapping story arcs. I’ve enjoyed the series and the author tends to write high-action sequences that really hook you.
I will admit I had a hard time getting into this one for the first half or so just because I could not connect with Kit. She and Castle had way too much opposites-attract insta-love going on for my tastes. Kit wasn’t as developed of a character as some of the others in the author’s books. However- the twist definitely made up for it. I did not see that one coming!
Romantic thriller… Hacker Kit Westcott’s team took on a job that she didn’t agree with or work on. Now they are all dead and she is on the run. Grey Box muscle Kit Westcott knows that Kit is the key in determining the threat against their country, but Kit doesn’t trust secret government agents. Her fierceness draws him while his promise keeps her near. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. This is an intense and sometimes steamy thriller. I don’t want to spoil the story by describing it further. This book kept me on the edge of my seat.
Until the End is the third book to Juno Rushdan’s Final Hour series, it was one of my ‘Most Anticipated Books of 2020,’ and I couldn’t wait to dive into it.
Female Protagonist: Kit Westcott is a rich heiress and Founder of the Outliers, which is a hacker group. Kit is a White-Hat Hacker who is on the run after her other fellow hackers were murdered. She knows she’s in danger. She plays the damsel in distress in the book, but she knows how to handle herself. She doesn’t trust easily, which is understandable after what she witnessed. She’s seen a villain in the book and knows her team was setup. I liked her character. She was determined to prove her team and herself were setup.
Male Protagonist: Castle Kinkade is the Gray Box operative who’s a former Navy SEAL. He’s intense, brutal, and persistent on getting his job done. He’s the one you call to get it done. I enjoyed his character. He battled his feelings in this book when he has to protect Kit. He promised he would protect her, though, even if his boss told him not to catch feelings.
Storyline: The storyline in this book is about Kit’s hacker group getting into something that got them killed. Now Kit is on the run to find out what happened and prove herself and her team were innocent. Unfortunately, she is being tracked by several groups. One that wants her dead and the other that wants to bring her in for questioning. She ends up being detained and questioned by the Gray Box team. Castle promises he will protect Kit, even though he needs to watch his feelings for her. Unfortunately, big secrets are happening in the Gray Box and the other groups that are after Kit that will leave every reader in shock. I know I was in shock. I had a feeling, though, who was behind it all. I couldn’t believe it ended the way it did, but I’m glad there was closure.
Steaminess: Some Steam towards the end of the book with the characters.
Standalone or Series: Series. I recommend reading the books in order; otherwise, you will out on some issues that happen in the previous books.
Cliffhanger: No.
Trope: Forbidden Romance
HEA: Yes, but after so much trouble.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, definitely. Juno Rushdan was a new-to-me author when I started reading this series, and now she has become a favorite author. I love her writing style, and I look forward to reading more from her. The Final Hour series is full of action-packed scenes with some romance in them. I love reading books that involve a thrilling storyline that leaves your heart beating at a fast-pace because you want the good guys to get the bad guys in the story.
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.
I have no idea why I do this to myself, but Until the End by Juno Rushdan is not only the third novel in her Final Hour romantic suspense series, it’s also the first time I’ve read anything by this author. While I was eventually able to pick up some of the plot threads and characters who were clearly featured in the first two novels, starting at the end of a series this multi-layered and complex, with this many characters, this many code names, involving this many acronym agencies, both good and bad, overt and covert, the many plots and subplots, and the fact that this story is told from many individual points of view, is not something I’d recommend. Yes, it can be read as a standalone–I’m proof of that, but since this novel hits the ground running from the very first page, I was at a loss to understand much of what was going on and who was who for way too long, which is one of the reasons I can only give this novel a 4-star rating.
The main characters (the good guys & gals) are Castle Kinkade, who works for a convert black ops agency known as The Gray Box, and Katherine (Kit) Westcott, an independently wealthy computer programmer and ace hacker, who formed her own covert agency known as The Outliers, are both intelligent, hard-working, exceedingly loyal to their friends, employers, fellow operatives, and both take their roles very seriously. They are likable enough, especially Castle, but I found it very difficult to warm up to Kit, and throughout the novel I kept asking myself why. I generally like feisty, sassy, smart females with minds of their own, yet in this novel, no matter how sympathetic her plight, I found that she simply lacked something, and while I liked her better by the end of the novel, and was rooting for her, I still felt that disconnect.
The backbone of this story is obvious from the start, as a supposedly secret shipment of biological weapons, including anthrax and a newly engineered one, Z-1984, that is right out of a zombie horror movie, en route from Nexcellogen to Fort Detrick has been hijacked. Who stole the bioweapons, where to find and retrieve them, and what kind of terrorism they will be used for is the crux of the matter.
Kit and her Outliers created a program, Ever Shield, that The Gray Box wants to get their hands on. It’s purpose is to prevent the government or anyone else from hacking into personal computers in their ongoing attempt to use the the internet and dark web to ferret out terrorist cells, ignoring the right to privacy guaranteed to all Americans by the U.S. Constitution. Kit’s Outliers group is aware that the government is spying on them, and when they somehow manage to discover the information about the bioweapons theft, The Gray Box group, and it’s leader, Sanborn, wants to get his hands not only on Ever Shield, but on Kit and the hard drives she grabbed before going on the run and into hiding. Slowly but surely, all of Kit’s team of Outliers have been killed–Kit is the last one alive, and she’s running for her life. A meet is planned at a Washington, D.C. park, and it doesn’t take long before the bullets start flying. She’s rescued from certain death by Castle, who she soon learns is Sanborn’s mentee, and while she’s attracted to the handsome agent and he to her, who do you trust when everyone you know doesn’t seem the least bit trustworthy? Do you tell the truth or lie as a form of self-protection–especially when this complicated tale involves agents, counter-agents, code names, terrorists, spies, black ops, and horrific bioweapons?
Although this novel is billed as romantic suspense, and yes, there is some graphic sex and romantic involvement between more than just the main characters, it reads as more of a suspense/mystery/thriller than a romance. There’s plenty of action, more harrowing twists than are found in a box of rotini pasta, and a denouement that was totally unexpected, at least by this reader. There’s also the expected HEA ending for the main characters, but some of the secondary characters are still left in a sort of limbo, with the future of the Gray Box and its mission still in question. There is an epilogue, but I wish Ms. Rushden had included more than just the HEA ending for Kit and Castle.
Although this novel is certainly well-written, with an engrossing and ultra-complicated plot and multiple sub-plots, what hampered my enjoyment somewhat was that I kept wishing I’d read the first two novels in this series before reading this one. If action/thrillers are something you enjoy reading, I think you’ll enjoy Until the End, but I strongly suggest reading the novels in this series in the order they were written.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
What an amazing ending to this series. Plenty of twists and turns that you won’t be expecting.
Ms. Rushdan’s writing is fantastic.
Until the End is a thrill ride, from its cold open the final twists of the plot in the dramatic ending. Juno Rushdan knows how to deliver a thriller, and this one is no exception. It’s everything a spy thriller should be, with cat and mouse spy vs spy games, gray morality, betrayals, and fast-paced action.
The scope of this novel is large, with ever-widening circles of involvement as the story blossoms from one seemingly minor operation to a large conspiracy. I greatly appreciated the peeling back of layers and the reveals that let all the different parts of this story fall into place. It’s a complicated narrative, but the ultimate climax is highly satisfying and deeply emotional.
However, as excellent as the writing and plotting is, there were some missteps, especially with the romance plot, that left me scratching my head and squarely put this book into a B rating for me.
I had a hard time with Kit as a character I am supposed to root for. Unlike the heroines in the other two novels in this series, Kit has no real skill set. I had to do a lot of soul searching for why I failed to connect to her character because I usually adore “unlikeable” heroines. Perhaps I am biased, writing this review in the spring of 2020, but feeling a connection to a white woman whose only real talent is having money is not easy to do. She also came across as clueless more than once, when I think she was simply supposed to be an outsider perspective, and her arguments with Castle were supposed to show her backbone, but mostly made her look obstructive for no real reason.
The Final Hours series has previously done a good job providing twists on common tropes, such as second chance romance, but the enemies to lovers take here didn’t work for me, because Kit is not the opposite of Castle that she needed to be. What the author was trying to do didn’t gel how it was intended to. Castle is meant to be the company man, strait-laced, hardnosed, and Kit is the free spirit, anti-authority rule breaker. However, we’re told this without really seeing it. We mostly see Castle break rules for Kit almost immediately, and Kit being rich and white squarely puts her into a privilege category that benefits from current government systems. Their arguments aren’t so much the clash of two idealists as it is Castle trying to do his job and Kit being, well, whiney that she’s not getting her way.
There was only a single sex scene between the main characters, which had some body mechanics issues and devolved into cliché (I can imaging a different novel where the character’s different personalities were on full display in the sex scene), but this wasn’t nearly so off-putting as there being explicit sex between secondary characters. One of who we first see their POV nearly three-quarters of the way through the story. I adore character-driven sex scenes, neither of these felt like that and left me mostly confused as to why there were included that feeling I knew more about the characters and their relationship after reading them.
Until the End is a solid novel, which really hits its stride once the clock starts ticking and the big plot reveals start occurring. I enjoyed the hero, action scenes, and secondary plots a great deal, however I can only rate the story 4/5 stars because of a heroine that had no real purpose in the story besides existing, and a love story that becomes little more than a plot device by the end when the drama and real emotional heart of the story become evident.
While I did have some issues with this story, I am eagerly looking forward to the next three books in this series!
I love this series. Castle is known for being tough and getting the job done. Kit throws him off kilter because he’s not expecting her to have her own idea of how to stay safe. The journey takes lots of twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat. There is also a big surprise that I never saw coming. I highly recommend this book.
A page turner of a read that had me glued to the pages as Castle a Gray Operative, which is a secret black ops group with lots of liberties, saves Kit, a white hat hacker when she is targeted by a group with just as many deadly skills as Castle. The race is on to find out who is targeting Kit and who killed her family of white hats, as well as find the information on computer drives she took after the massacre which lead to the murders.
A great read with some steam, plenty of suspense and action, betrayals, twists and turns, surprises and past characters returning. I was a bit lost on who was who at times since I only read one previous book but it didn’t take anything away from the story and I knew a few of the characters since I read No Way Out which helped in understanding some of the relationships with the characters. I really liked Castle and how he matures emotionally with Kit, he also made me swoon and sigh many times. Kit was too stubborn at times, but I did like her and when all secrets are shared between them, they were good together.
Overall the read was really great and the ending was a HUGE surprise….O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive….
*I voluntarily read an advanced copy and expressed my honest opinion*
** 4 1/2 stars**
Someone on the inside of Gray Box is a traitor and that person is revealed in this story.
Kit and Castle are thrown together after Kit’s family is murdered in front of her. She is in possession of the only evidence of what happened and can bring some really influential people down. Castle is initially sent in to retrieve her, but finds himself not only attracted to her, but also wanting to protect her. He has to protect her from forces outside of Gray Box, but soon he finds out, forces inside as well are out to get her. Even though he feels torn between his duty to his country and those who have had his back in some tough times, this little slip of a girl has really gotten to him.
Kit has lost everyone that she has gotten close to. She doesn’t want to depend on Castle, but he has shown time and time again that he is there for her.
Who knew? Who knew this book would take me through so many emotions?
I wasn’t sure what twists this series was going to take, but I must admit I didn’t see this plot twist coming.
ARC received from NetGalley for an honest review.
Nonstop action. literally. It starts with action and runs the whole way through, no time to catch your breath. HEA for the romance but man oh man, a painful ending for this series. The way it is set up we could see future, and I am all for that. I found Juno by chance here on NetGalley and now I actively search out her books. Castle is the Graybox operative who is out to protect Kit, a hacker who saw her team members killed. There are twists, turns, car chases, murder, betrayals, romance, suspense. I wanted to give it 5 stars cause Juno rocks, but her characters are the cream of the crop to belong to Graybox and I just couldn’t wrap my head around with all their expertise why they believed carte blanch in everything and I have questions for them!!! I recommend reading book 1 and 2 first. a;; can be read as stand alone but you are doing yourself a disservice if you miss book 1 and 2. I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions, as mentioned earlier I seek out her books and I can honestly say they never disappoint. Thank you Juno Roshdan, Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanaca Thank you NetGalley!
5 stars
Kit Westcott is rich and is the head of a hacker group, Outliers. She watches as her friends are executed after getting involved with some shady people. She grabs the computer drives and escapes to keep from being killed too. Castle is a former SEAL and now works for a very secret government agency known as Gray Box. Castle is sent to bring Kit in and find out where the drives are. Kit doesn’t trust Castle because he’s with the government. There are so many people after Kit, that Castle promises her that he will protect her until she is safe. When Kit breaks down the walls around his heart, will he choose her or his job?
OMG!!!! Secrets, sex, and nonstop action that will leave you breathless. I could not stop read it. I still can’t believe what happened so be prepared to be blown away. I honestly don’t know what to write without giving anything away. Just be sure to read this heart pounding book.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley *