Call him Teague. Finn Teague. A jack-of-all-trades, he's been everything from ski instructor to cook, but he's always craved a job that wouldn't bore the living daylights out of him. He longs to be a shaken-not-stirred kind of guy but knows it'll never happen. Currently a lawyer, Double-Oh-No spends most of his time in his L.A. apartment, ogling his two gorgeous neighbors -- a view to a thrill -- and fantasizing that he's a secret agent.
Amber Robinson, an elite operative for a top-secret government agency, is tracking a suspected terrorist's mistress. Her hunky neighbor Finn seems to be doing the same and Amber suspects he's a spy -- just a very, very bad one. Setting out to seduce him and crack his secret identity (yes, she has the best job ever) Amber unwittingly takes Finn on a passion-filled, high-stakes adventure that'll teach him to never say never again.
"USA Today" bestselling author Julie Kenner presents a hilarious and sexy spy caper full of intoxicating, for-your-eyes-only romance!
When Julie was knee-high to a grasshopper (an expression that she would like it known she has never, ever used in real life) she informed her parents that she was going to be a novelist, and proceeded to write Kitty Claws, a bestselling book about a cat as Santa. (The book sold out its entire print-run of one, so lets not split hairs about that "best-selling" thing, okay?)
After that stellar start, Julie continued to dabble in the literary arts, writing short stories on yellow pads that she forced her mother to type, scribbling poems on ruled notebook paper that she forced her mother to type, making up skits and songs that she forced her mother to watch and listen to, and diving head-first into high school journalism, at which point, mom finally got a break.
In college, she continued with the journalism thing, picking that as her major and working at The Daily Texan, the student newspaper for the University of Texas. The idea that she could actually write novels and, oh, buy food too, completely eluded her.
The journalism thing cranked along nicely for about one semester. Then Julie got a job as a production assistant on a movie originally called Splatter, but which was released as Future Kill (and can still be found in Blockbuster and through Netflix), with really great Giger poster art. Julie worked her tail off, appeared as an extra, had a great time, and promptly switched her major to film.
Graduating at the ripe old age of 19, Julie chickened out and didn't move to Los Angeles to become the next Steven Spielberg. Instead, she stayed in Austin and worked as a media assistant until she decided that perhaps law school was the better way to go because, hey, a degree in film slides so seamlessly into law. (Or, more likely, grad school was inevitable and the LSAT seemed doable.) Not one to waste time, Julie took the LSAT in December, and was admitted to Baylor Law School on a full scholarship the following February. Law school and Julie got along great, and after graduation, Julie went to work as a law clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, where she had a fabulous time drafting legal opinions, preparing the judge for court, and taking regular trips to New Orleans on a government per diem. During her two year stint as a clerk, the writing bug bit again, and Julie wrote a stage play that will never, ever see the light of day. Really. So don't even ask.
After her clerkship, Julie decided she could handle moving to the Big City, and she took a job with Skadden, Arps in L.A., where she worked on a variety of cases with some very smart lawyers. After a year, she moved on to smaller and smaller firms (and had a short stint as a production exec at a small film company, thus justifying all those credit hours in college). She continued to work with very smart lawyers, one of whom introduced Julie to Julie Garwood (her books, not the woman herself), and the writing bug bit again.
Though Julie had been dabbling with writing in her limited spare time, she'd lacked focus. Now, she'd found it, and she was determined to write an historical romance. You may, after reviewing Julie's book list, note that there are no historical romances on there. Let's just say that she didn't succeed at that task. Julie did, however, discover that while she has a head for contemporary nuances, the ins-and-outs of historical detail are enough to make her head explode.
The in-progress historical was promptly shelved, and Julie turned her attention to fleshing out a contemporary romance, having decided that category romance was the way to go, since with the demands of a legal job, she'd be much more likely to finish 240 manuscript pages than 400.
Finish them she did, and though she got nice feedback on the voice, the novel didn't sell. One editor, Harlequin's Brenda Chin, returned a rejection letter with a note that the hook wasn't enough of a "sexy premise."
Always up for a challenge, Julie came up with the opening line, "You need a man," which she thought had oodles of sexy premise potential. She just had to find a story to go with the line. Eventually, she did, and Nobody Does It Better, Julie's first published novel, was born. She entered the first few chapters in contests, finaled, and was ultimately judged by that same Brenda Chin, who ended up buying the manuscript. (Which is not the reason Julie thinks Brenda is a really cool person. Truly.)
By that time, Julie had realized that 400 pages were manageable after all, and she'd almost completed a paranormal romance along the lines of The Little Mermaid about a cat who is in love with her master. The Cat's Fancy sold just a few months after the original sale. Both books came out in 2000, along with a second Temptation, and Julie has had at least 3 books hit the shelves annually every since, and now has well over twenty books to her credit, crossing over a multitude of genres, most of which are represented in some way by the clever pictures in the collage at the top of this page.
Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a "flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations," Julie's books have hit lists as varied as USA Today, Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble, and Locus Magazine, all of which has made Julie a happy camper. Julie is also a two-time RITA finalist, both times for books about strong women (a superhero and a demon-hunter). There's probably some deep meaning there, and if you know what it is, feel free to drop Julie a line.
Julie was also the winner of Romantic Times' Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Contemporary Paranormal of 2001, the winner of the Reviewers International Organization's award for best romantic suspense of 2004 and best paranormal of 2005, and the winner of the National Readers' Choice Award for best mainstream book of 2005. Not that she's keeping track or anything.
Julie writes a range of stories including quirky romances, sexy contemporaries, young adult novels, suspense, paranormal mommy lit, and (soon!) darker urban fantasy.
Her initial foray into the urban fantasy mommy lit genre--Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom--proved especially successful, resulting in a Booksense pick, a Target break-out book, other accolades and honors, and a movie deal. Specifically, Carpe Demon, is in development as a feature film with Warner Brothers and 1492 Pictures. Julie frequently pounds on her battered wooden desk (Salvation Army, $25, gotta love it) in order to urge the project from development to screen. (In Hollywood, these things are never certain until you're watching the movie and eating popcorn.)
Julie and her husband moved from Southern California back to Texas in 1995, and Julie quit the practice of law to write full time in 2004. Now, she lives and writes in central Texas with her husband, two daughters, and several cats. She is an active supporter of Love Without Boundaries. Click here to learn more about the charities Julie supports.
This review is from: The Spy Who Loves Me (Mass Market Paperback)
Phineus "Finn" Teague is a 37 year-old lawyer who hates his job. He often fantasizes about being a super spy. Dangerous missions, wild women, and saving the world would be all in a day's work. Instead, Finn is a jack-of-all-trades type of person. The closest he's ever come to spy work was computer hacking, and that is all behind him now. Even though Finn should be doing his paperwork, he finds himself staring at the gorgeous new neighbor and daydreaming.
Amber Robinson is an elite operative for a government agency, Unit 7. She and Brandon are keeping tabs on a former Navy SEAL and Black Ops commander gone bad and his current flame, Diana Traynor. Finn is an unknown player to Amber and Brandon. His background check screams civilian, but he is keeping a very close eye on Diana. Was he a civilian, an agent with a deep cover, or has a third party entered the picture? Amber would have to stick very close to him to find out.
***** This book is as outrageous as watching a James Bond 007 movie! Danger lurks in the back ground throughout the entire story and how I love all those spy gadgets! The action and romances builds quickly (I found myself on the edge of my seat more than once while reading) and the climatic ending is awesome! This is a Keeper! *****
Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
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This review is from: The Spy Who Loves Me (Mass Market Paperback)
His name is Teague. Phineus "Finn" Teague. A man who spent the better part of his life being a jack of all trades and a master of none, Finn realized too late that his dream job was to be a spy. Rejected by the FBI (too old) and the CIA (no, thanks), Finn has settled on a career in law and a secret fantasy life as "Agent Python." Like any self-respecting debonair secret agent, it's the blonde siren -- whom our man Python nicknames "Tatiana" -- across the courtyard who inspires his testosterone-fueled daydreams, not the quiet brunette next door.
Recruited and trained at age thirteen by Unit 7, a shadowy government agency, Amber Robinson is the perfect spook and has enough gadgets to make James Bond green with envy. When Drake Mackenzie, a former black ops commander, goes missing, Amber is sent to Los Angeles to set up surveillance on Diana Traynor, Mackenzie's girlfriend. But when Amber notices her next-door neighbor Finn is doing the same, her instincts go on alert. Is he friend or foe? When a background check reveals nothing but an interesting litany of former occupations, Amber decides to make closer contact to ferret out Finn's secrets. After all, there's nothing she won't do in the line of duty.
Secret identities, cool gadgets, and campy plots come together in Julie Kenner's loving homage to the espionage genre. Ms. Kenner deliciously "borrows" ideas from such spy classics as James Bond and The Man from U.N.C.L.E., to modern fare like La Femme Nikita and Alias, and combines them with sizzling romance and sparkling banter. Finn and Amber are an updated version of Scarecrow and Mrs. King in gender reverse, and readers will find it easy to cheer them on as they beat those dastardly villains out to destroy the world. The only thing missing is Ursula Andress in the white bikini, but with a heroine like Amber, it's just overkill. Don't miss this one!
TheSchemer
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This review is from: The Spy Who Loves Me (Mass Market Paperback)
A malevolent plot intends to use a top-secret laser for wealth and revenge. Operatives Amber Robinson and her partner Brandon are assigned the case. Amber has been with the Unit since she was fifteen. It has become her family as well as providing the latest and greatest tools technology offers. She believes that she would never give up her spy world for anyone or anything; that is, until Amber and Brandon track terrorist mercenary Drake's girlfriend Diana to a apartment complex. Then Finn catches her attention.
Soon Amber realizes she is not the only one observing Diana. Neighbor Phineus "Finn" Teague watches Diana from his window as well. Little does he suspect that his innocent musings, daydreams of becoming Agent Python, will lead him into a dangerous world of spies and espionage. Suddenly his innocuous wishes to escape boring depositions and overburdening student loans lead to life of intrigue beyond that which he imagined. Now he will do anything to protect the spy he loves.
Julie Kenner's superb gift for storytelling dazzles in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. With so many books on the market, readers are hard put to find author's who distinctive style brings them back again and again. But Kenner is one of those authors who's artful humor and the fully developed characters bring her stories vividly alive, even in the seemingly contradictory blend of fantasy and reality. Whether she is writing about superheroes or spies, Kenner creates tales that consistently charm and intrigue. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME come very highly recommended.
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