Excerpt · Giveaways · New Release · Reviews · The Wild Rose Press

Review of A Bodyguard of Lies (Jake Bernstein, FBI series #1) by Donna Del Oro w/a rafflecopter giveaway!

MediaKit_BookCover_ABodyguardOfLies

A Bodyguard of Lies

by Donna Del Oro

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE: Romantic suspense

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

The past and present collide as FBI analyst Jake Bernstein is recruited to go undercover and investigate an elderly American grandmother, currently on a tour of England and Ireland with her granddaughter, who is suspected of WWII war crimes. Jake joins them and runs into complications when his growing attraction to the granddaughter challenges his obligation to remain emotionally detached. As the investigation intensifies, a neo-Nazi group tries to prevent him from learning the truth and achieve justice for all concerned. Danger mounts, and Jake struggles to stay alive long enough to either prove the old woman’s guilt or exonerate her.

 

Despite Meg Larsen’s mounting passion for the stranger who has joined their tour, she suspects he’s not who he claims to be. When she realizes her grandmother is the target of the man’s investigation, her first instinct is to protect the woman who raised her. Eventually, however, Meg must face the possibility of her grandmother’s lifetime of lies while forced to trust a man who has become both their nemesis and bodyguard.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Note from the Author:

 

My new FBI series, INTERNATIONAL RELEASE-JUNE 8th, is the Jake Bernstein FBI series–A BODYGUARD OF LIES, Book One. If you love a genre that’s chock full of danger, suspense, crime drama and a heavy dose of sizzling romance, you’ll LOVE THIS SERIES! FBI agent Jake Bernstein is my epitome of a hardy, justice-seeking federal officer who combines good looks, a sense of humor and unyielding courage. He knows how to investigate as one of the Bureau’s best undercover agents, but he also knows how and when to bend the rules for the sake of true human justice.

 

The idea for this book, A BODYGUARD OF LIES, struck me when I was tipping a pint with fellow tourists at an Irish pub. There on the wall was an old, WW II photo of Irish dockworkers sharing their pub with German U-boat sailors. That started me wondering about the role that Ireland played during the war, its uneasy relationship with Nazi Germany and the German spies who infiltrated Ireland and England. Lots of research followed, which led me to a contemporary story about an FBI undercover agent who investigates an elderly, naturalized American grandmother, wanted by MI6 for war crimes. Little ol’ Mary McCoy Snider, a dangerous WW II Nazi spy who caused the deaths of thousands? Even Agent Jake Bernstein finds that an unbelievable stretch. The granddaughter whom Jake finds himself falling in love with also disbelieves MI6’s allegations.

 

Until his investigation draws him into the middle of a dangerous, secret neo-Nazi group that’ll stop at nothing to protect one of their own. And then Jake must choose, the old woman and her lovely granddaughter. Or justice!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Excerpt Two:

 

“Since when are you courting me?” She sat back on the bed, leaning back on her hands, her elbows cocked. Still in her underwear, her breasts thrusting half out of her bra.

 

“Since the first time I saw you.” He smiled with irony, admitting to himself that he was lost from the first moment he set eyes on her.

 

You lovesick fool.

 

Your career’s about to crash and burn.

 

What Meg did next surprised even him. Suddenly, she reached up. Her hands seized his hips and pulled him closer to the bed. With alacrity, Jake began stripping off his clothes. Off flew his windbreaker and sweatshirt, followed by a more gingerly unstrapping of his shoulder holster. He laid them on the floor, then untied the waistband of his sweat pants.

 

He stopped, his hands frozen at his waist. A quickie in this dump? What a memory to leave her…

 

“Jake Bernstein, are you courting me? Yes or no?” she repeated, her voice dripping with sass.

 

“Doing a half-ass job of it, but yeah,” he said, smiling.

 

“Well, let me be the judge of that.”

 

Her eyes sparkling with humor, she pulled down his trousers and briefs, exposing his huge erection. She scooted back on the bed and shimmied out of her panties at the same time. She glanced at her watch. “C’mon, cowboy, we have only ten minutes!”

 

No time for recriminations, he thought.

 

Screw this dump. Screw this case. Screw my career.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

review

Before I start my actual review, I have a couple of things to warn you about when it comes to this book.

  1.  Yes, it is listed as a romantic suspense.  Yes, there is a romance and smexy times but it definitely has a HFN, “I’m not sure how they can stay together” vibe.
  2.   It is told in the past and present.  Yes, you do get to hear the grandmother’s story as it happened during the war.
  3.   If you do not like Jack Ryan, Jason Bourne, or even James Bond…this book isn’t for you.  As one knows, Jack Ryan is my ultimate book boyfriend.

On with the review…

I loved this book.  What drew me in was the Nazi and WWII angle.  I have to admit that my husband and I watch the American Heroes Channel all the time.  Yes, we are WWII addicts.  We watch everything on the war.  From the battles to the shows on Hitler.  So picking up this book to read was an easy choice for me.

It starts off rather violently and shows how Mary became who she is.  It was interesting but the thing that drew me into her story was that we actually got to read it.  It wasn’t glossed over or told to us in 3rd person.  You got to know her.

Jake was awesome.  He reminded me a lot of Jack Ryan.  Not one for field work, walking the thin line between what he was told to do and what he actually did.  He is strong but not overly done.  He’s subtle but knew when to get things done.

As with the dealings with MI5, I had to chuckle at times.  The British are just funny to me.  I just kept picturing M, Q, Ms. Moneypenny and the gang back at MI6 headquarters.  They just didn’t know what to do with Jake at times.

The history and detail of this book are second to none.  Ms. Del Oro has done her research.  It enriched the book and held my attention until the very end.  And OH.MY.GOODNESS…the last chapter.  I held my breath.

Again, it is not a true romance but I do see how Ms. Del Oro could possibly have Jake and Meg together again.  After all, Meg has…Oops…I almost spoiled how the story unfolds and the ends.

Lots of intrigue, Neo Nazi’s and a backstory that is hypnotic.  Did I mention that Jake is spectacular?  Or that I could just watch him think at his desk?  Nope…well, I’m just fantasizing about my newest book boyfriend.  😉

5harlies

Best book of the year!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:MediaKit_AuthorPhoto_ABodyguardOfLies

 

Donna is a retired high school English teacher and is finally able to fulfill her dream of writing fiction. She lives in Northern California with her husband and three cats. When she’s not writing novels, she’s singing with the Sacramento Valley Chorus or traveling with her husband. Life is good and she feels very blessed.

 

Visit her on Facebook or at www.donnadeloro.com

www.thewildrosepress.com/DonnaDelOro

Contact her: donna@donnadeloro.com

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 

Donna Del Oro will be awarding a copy of A Bodyguard of Lies (a print copy for a US winner or an ebook for an international winner) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

BBT_ABodyguardOfLies_Banner copy

3 thoughts on “Review of A Bodyguard of Lies (Jake Bernstein, FBI series #1) by Donna Del Oro w/a rafflecopter giveaway!

Leave a Reply to Audrey Stewart (@AudreyS23511436) Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.