Customer Reviews

Hidden Agendas

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is my Recommended Read for June 2007!

The Navy SEAL team code named Durango Team has been tasked with protecting Senator Stanton and his daughter Emily from the latest threat posed by drug cartel kingpin Diego Fuentes. But playing bodyguard to the adventurous Emily is tricky when just keeping up with this hellion is a full-time task!

Enter Lieutenant Kell Krieger. He has known the Stantons for years, and watched Emily for most of that time between missions. Being assigned to personally protect Emily guarantees he'll be in close contact with the aspiring writer 24/7, but she'll not find it as easy to scare Krieger off as she did all of her previous bodyguards. He knows what makes her tick, understands her frustrations, and intends to show her how to spread her wings while keeping her pretty little butt safe from all threats. Still, the capable SEAL finds the Senator's daughter more than a handful, and her mere presence menaces his normally unshakeable control.

He just needs to keep her safe until Durango Team uncovers the mole who has been feeding information to Fuentes and has demanded Emily's death. But keeping his heart safe from Emily proves to be the real challenge...

Okay, I will admit it up front. I am a fool for sexy Cajun men, and Navy SEAL Lieutenant Kell Krieger tops my list of men fitting that description! Lora Leigh's fourth installment in her Tempting Seals series continues the ongoing saga of the Durango Team's mission to defeat the evil Diego Fuentes and the drug cartel leader's continuing attempts to retaliate against the SEALs and their loved ones for the battles they've already won against him. This series captivated me from book one, and Hidden Agendas further entrenches my love for these hunky SEALs!

Emily embodies the poor little rich girl type heroine, having been held captive by a life a privilege, denied the freedoms enjoyed by most due to the dangers surrounding the daughter of a man in her father's position as a Senator and ex-SEAL agent himself. She bucks against his control and the stifling presence of the revolving door of bodyguards he saddles her with. While most of us have not grown up in her specific situation, it is still easy to identify with her as a woman who is fighting for her independence.

Kell is the perfect hero for Emily. Having suffered unbearable tragedy in his past, he is a man who needs a woman who can stand by his side, not behind him. While certainly he tops the list of Alpha Males, he is strong enough to allow his woman her independence she needs and freedom to determine her own destiny. Indeed, he bolsters her courage and determination to stand up for herself, winning her heart and locking their souls together forever in the process.

If you loved the suspenseful storylines in the previous Tempting Seals editions, then you will be gratified to know that Hidden Agendas is fraught with just as many twists as the stories that preceded it! Leigh managed to throw me some curve balls, and kept me sitting on the edge of my seat until I turned the very last page.

Of course, while the story wraps up some of the mysteries, the author leaves plenty of room for sequels, which I am itching to get my greedy little book loving hands on!

This series knocked my socks off from book one, delivering all of the sexual intensity you expect in a Lora Leigh book, coupled with the sweet romance and happy ending she can always be relied on for.

Series Order:
Honk If You Love Real Men
Dangerous Games (Tempting SEALs)
Real Men Do It Better
Hidden Agendas (Tempting SEALs)
Killer Secrets (Tempting SEALs)
Rescue Me

Kell Krieger is a tough, hardened Navy SEAL. He has spent the last 15 years of his life vowing revenge on the man that tore his family apart. Now, when that very man threatens the existence of the one woman who has worked her way under his skin, Kell isn't very happy. Plotting the downfall of his enemy, Kell and his team of undercover SEALS fight the hidden world of drug lords and government spies with just one purpose - keeping Emily Stanton safe.

Emily has cared for and been attracted to Kell Krieger for years. Believing that Kell would never notice a curvaceous woman like her, and unaware that the tough SEAL has been secretly keeping tabs on her actions, Emily has spent the last few years doing what she wants, when she wants. She is a like a butterfly free from her cocoon and eager to experience life to the fullest.

When a vicious drug lord sets his sights on Emily and threatens her safety, she reluctantly agrees to Kell's special form of protection. What Emily soon realizes is that another very real danger lies in losing her heart and soul to one enigmatic and rampantly sexy Cajun named Kell Krieger.

How can I verbalize what I love about HIDDEN AGENDAS? It could be the completely outstanding and testosterone-filled Kell Krieger. Maybe it's the strong but adoring Emily Stanton. Conceivably, it could be the fact that together these two characters were hot enough to melt my eyeballs. Perhaps it's the suspenseful and delightfully sensuous plot. There are so many wonderful aspects that make this book so engaging.

I could see the love Kell had for Emily as well as Emily's reciprocation of that love. I also sensed the joy each found in the other, and for me, that is the ultimate gift to readers of romance. When a novel such as HIDDEN AGENDAS makes me aware of and witness to unconditional love shared by the two main characters, I know I have in my hands an evocative and captivating read.

Book 4 of Ms. Leigh's Tantalizing SEALS series, HIDDEN AGENDAS, is off the charts wonderful. I have loved watching this series evolve, starting with Reno's Chance in the Honk if You Love Real Men anthology, and have anxiously awaited each installment. Each new manuscript that is penned by Lora Leigh comes with 'to die for' heroes and the heroines that complete them. I couldn't ask for anything better.

In order to enjoy this novel as exquisitely as possible, I suggest reading the first three installments prior to HIDDEN AGENDAS to get the full affect of this wonderful team of delightfully wicked heroes. However, HIDDEN AGENDAS is completely stand-alone and can be enjoyed no matter what.

Hidden Agendas released on June 26, 2007.

I will start by saying that Lora Leigh is definitely an expert in romance, passion, chemistry and she knows how to make the pages sizzle with all three! Even though I devoured her previous book called Dangerous games, there were some factors which made me very uncomfortable like the Dom-sub angle and especially the hero being a part of it. But this book, I'm happy to say, has none of that but has all of the passion and romance she is known for with the gripping suspense as an added bonus. Kell and Emily's story is worth 10 stars and like a reviewer said, run for this book. I can't wait to read more more about her alpha, protective seals in her upcoming book called Killer Secrets out in March 2008.

This author is not afraid to go into pretty deep waters with her exceptionally sensual novels and this one is no different. But compared to other authors, you have a sense of trust that the sensuality--although wild--is encased within the framework of love and caring. This novel is AB-SO-LUTE-LY incindiary in the sensuality department and uses an old trick re. the female lead--that usually I hate. This time it's used to perfection. The alpha males are first rate, the female leads a LITTLE silly/stupid (like, listen to your bodyguards, dummy!) and the villian is a creepy, evil doer who we can't wait until he gets his just desserts. In other words--a great, sexy book--run don't walk to grab this one up NOW!

Emily Stanton is no one's lady. The daughter of a US senator, Emily paid the price for her father's political ambitions once--and she has the nightmares to prove it. Determined to protect herself from then on, Emily allows her father to provide her with bodyguards while taking covert fighting and shooting lessons. She won't let herself fall in harm's way again and feel defenseless.

Kell Krieger, known as the Cajun to his SEAL buddies, has been in love with Emily since he met her. He knows that Senator Stanton sends an endless stream of thick-necked bodyguards to protect his daughter, and that none of them have been man enough to stand up to Emily's courageous nature. Kell knows he's man enough, and when the drug lord who originally kidnapped Emily threatens to do so again, he's determined to prove it...

Kell Krieger is a sexy hero with a Cajun accent, protective nature, and confident demeanor. He knows he wants Emily from the very beginning, and he is a man who goes after what he wants. Emily, likewise, is a strong heroine and though she fights the passion between her and Kell originally, it's only a matter of time before she succumbs. It's one great ride for the reader watching it happen.

Hidden Agendas is the third book in Lora Leigh's Tempting SEALS series and I think that so far it's my favorite. When you pick up a Lora Leigh novel, you know you're getting erotica, but she does it with such flair and pizazz that it isn't all sex no story, but a great story that just happens to be sexy. Furthermore, these heroes are alpha males to the extreme and just make a woman want to be protected like only these strong men can provide. If you like your heroes bold, brash, and overprotective, the Tempting SEALS series is for you.

This is the next installment in Lora Leigh's Navy SEAL team adventures and boy was this an adventure. Kell Krieger is a Navy SEAL and his team is once again on the hunt for Diego Fuentes, a drug Lord. At the same time, Kell must protect the Senator's daughter from Fuentes. From the moment I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. Lora Leigh really puts the steam in steamy, while at the same time giving you suspense and aventure that keeps you guessing until the very end.

I absolutely adore this author! I eagerly anticipate every new book that she writes and "Dangerous Games" was a great read; this new one, not so much. Everything in the book, the story elements, the lovemaking scenes, the good guys, the bad guys; all of it was just too redundant!

We all pretty much know what we are getting when we buy a Lora Leigh book, however, this book was just not that good. What's missing is a story! The girl is an idiot and so is her father. Kell was definitely interesting and fit your basic mold of alpha male. The reader could believe who this character was based on his history.

Yes, we want our lead female to be strong and independent, but not stupid! This girl was stupid in the extreme and please save us from all of the damsels in distress who refuse to accept needed protection when it is offered. This character has been kidnapped once and through some of the most twisted logic I have ever read, refuses to see reason when it comes to her own safety. (Although, LL is infamous for her characters' twisted logic; i.e. the August brothers.)

The story did not introduce us to any really new characters; the only ones worth any anticipation for the future is Kira, Ian and, of course, Nathan.

I remain a devoted LL fan but "Hidden Agendas" was not a great book.

This was actually my first book by Lora Leigh. I liked it so much I did a search for her to see what else she has written & I've read a couple of her breed series & her bound series in the last week. I must say this is a lot more tame than her others but it has a stronger plot/action plot. I haven't read the others in the seal series but I plan to to see if they are any better. If you are tired of the boring old helpless females & non-Alpha males then you will love this. Lora tends to make her male characters very Alpha but Kell is not a dominating as most of her books but better than some of the romance novels I have read lately. Also if you are tired of all the flowery romancy words for naughty bits then you will love her work. She does her secenes in a more realistic modern vocabulary and she likes to push the envelope on the every day sex scenes.

Once again Lora Leigh gives us an alpha male lead that is just too hot for words. The chemistry between Emily (the female lead) and Kell (the alpha hottie) is excellent and the 25 yr old virgin angle was almost believable. The plot is fast paced and intense but the ending left me feeling like I'll never survive the wait for the next installment "Killer Secrets" which isn't schl'd for release until Jan 2008. The love scenes are sizzling but if you buy Ms. Leigh's books for the kinkier stuff like was in the previous Tempting SEALs book "Dangerous Games" and her books written for Ellora's Cave you will be disappointed. While there are several well written and intense love scenes between Emily and Kell this book is more main stream along the lines of Shannon McKenna. All things considered this is one you don't want to miss and I am anxious for the next installment to find out what happens next!

Let me begin by saying that Lora Leigh writes beautifully, it is obvious that she has a true gift for getting her point across and that is the only reason why I rated this book 3 stars. Having read the first book in this series I was excited to read this one, but from early on in the story it was obvious that the sexual tension between Kell and Emily was going to be the primary story.

I understand hot, I understand steamy, I understand the appeal of yummy SEAL and innocent virgin, but good grief there was literally a sex scene every 5-6 pages after they got Emily's virginity out of the way. It got so graphic at one point that it was laughable and I really struggled to get through the book, because the only thing offered was the incredible sexual chemisty between it's two main characters.

Bottom Line? I want more to my books than great sex. I'm disappointed really because it's obvious that Lora Leigh has some writing chops. I just need more balance in my books. Sorry to those of you who are big fans but I won't be buying any more of these books.