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A review by loverofromance
Maverick by Lora Leigh
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: ποΈποΈποΈποΈ
World Building:ππππ
Cover:ππππ
Hero: π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»
Heroine:π¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»ββοΈ
Intimacy Level: π₯π₯π₯π₯
Relationship Building: πππ
Heart & Feels:ππππ
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: πππ
Page Turner Level:ππππ
Ending:π§§π§§π§§π§§
Overall View: β¨β¨β¨β¨
You are a light that will always guide me, a whisper I'll always strain to hear
First Impressions
Maverick was quite an interesting book and I really was pulled into the story so quickly. Their dynamic really worked for me and I loved seeing these two grow together despite all the secrets and mission that is involved, their dynamic of masculine alpha male and softer FMC really fit for them. I do think modernistic readers might have issues with this book because the alpha vibes are off the charts lol and you just need to be okay with a good alpha male to really get this book. It is a great suspense, with the heroine in danger, having suffered some severe trauma and yay for a slender medium attractiveness heroine. We just don't see those as much anymore and I really resonated with it.
Yes, he would be gone, but she knew now what it meant to love. She might not know
what it meant to be loved, but loving was almost as good.
First Line
She was a mother. She was a daughter. She was a sister and a wife. Delicate and so very beautiful.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Micah Sloane
The Heroine: Risa Clay
Israel is a place of many people and yet many beauties. The desert can bake a man in the day, freeze him when the moon rises high. Itβs a place of brutal beauty and enduring strength. It nourishes a man, even as it challenges him
Summary
Micah Sloane is of the Jewish faith and originally of the Massad fighter crew in Israel, but is now part of the Elite Ops and he knows that despite all that he knows of Risa and wants her, he can never have a future with her. Their lives in the Elite Ops are limited to what they can have in their lives. But he is determined to find the ghost that is hunting Risa, no matter what it takes. Risa was betrayed by her father and raped and treated in the most humiliating of ways, which has hampered any chance of a normal life. But now she is going out to meet friends and wanting to have a one night stand, to feel like a normal woman for once even though she knows she isn't beautiful and worthy of it. But then she meets Micah, who is possessive and strong and protective and she is drawn to him like a moth to flame, but there are so many secrets and there is a enemy that will stop at nothing to kill her.
She was tired of being miserable. And there was always the chance that for the first time in six years, she could find a place inside her that wasnβt tormented by the past. She just had to make that place, she told herself. That was all. She could do this. After all, she had survived hell, hadnβt she? If she had survived hell, then she could survive one night in a loverβs arms.
What I Loved
I really adored this couple together. Its fun to have a suspense where the heroine is a softer FMC and I loved that she had some abuse and trauma that she was working through. And to top it off, it has a plain jane heroine, I am all for it. I really connected with this heroine, because of how I resonated with her physically. Even though I know I am attractive, I have never felt truly beautiful, just like Risa. I loved that she was trying to better herself and try new experiences no matter how much she feared it or still felt the trauma of the abuse she suffered. She had such inner strength that I was immediately drawn to. Then we have this hero. Who is trying to protect her without her knowing that they are protecting her or her friends are keeping secrets too. This also has a forbidden love theme in it as Micah can never have a HEA with anyone, he can't marry or have children as he is bound by the contract he signed for the Elite Ops but seeing them work towards their HEA was amazing.
Micah had a weakness. A small, beautiful, passionate weakness that he feared could become the destruction of his soul.
What I Struggled With
There were a few plot holes here and there, but also the ending felt a bit anti climatic at times and it didn't truly satisfy. And the writing here is older contemporary so I am not used to that style as much anymore lol so the writing style put me off for a bit because I am just not used to it. I do wish the ending had been more satisfying between them and felt rushed. Like it was never answered how he would be able to marry her, just that he would in like once sentence. I would have preferred something more finale in the ending.
βI could stay here, covering you like a blanket meant to protect, forever,β he whispered at her ear. βYou are a light that will always guide me, a whisper Iβll always strain to hear.β
Overall View
Maverick is a powerful romance that really resonated with this reader for the character develpment. Your heart will fight along side Micah and Risa as they battle towards their HEA that is forbidden to them. Its wildly intense, emotionally dramatic and cuts a deep chord of emotion and heart all the way through.
βWhen you leave, will you remember me, Micah?β Risa asked then, her voice in the darkness stroking over his senses. βEven death could not steal your memory from me,β he promised her.
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance
Character Types: Abused, Softer FMC, Alpha Male, Military
Themes: Black Ops, Heart/Emotional Touching, Danger/Suspense, Friendship Focused
Tropes: Forbidden Love, Forced Proximity, Protector
How insane had he been to believe he could ever live without Risa when in truth, he hadnβt known what living was until he learned what loving her meant?
Book Perspective
3rd POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Both
If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Maya Banks
Pamela Clare
Rebecca Zanetti
Song This Book Inspires
Over and Over Again by Nathan Sykes
Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes
Steam/Spice Explanations
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: ποΈποΈποΈποΈ
World Building:ππππ
Cover:ππππ
Hero: π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»
Heroine:π¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»ββοΈ
Intimacy Level: π₯π₯π₯π₯
Relationship Building: πππ
Heart & Feels:ππππ
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: πππ
Page Turner Level:ππππ
Ending:π§§π§§π§§π§§
Overall View: β¨β¨β¨β¨
You are a light that will always guide me, a whisper I'll always strain to hear
First Impressions
Maverick was quite an interesting book and I really was pulled into the story so quickly. Their dynamic really worked for me and I loved seeing these two grow together despite all the secrets and mission that is involved, their dynamic of masculine alpha male and softer FMC really fit for them. I do think modernistic readers might have issues with this book because the alpha vibes are off the charts lol and you just need to be okay with a good alpha male to really get this book. It is a great suspense, with the heroine in danger, having suffered some severe trauma and yay for a slender medium attractiveness heroine. We just don't see those as much anymore and I really resonated with it.
Yes, he would be gone, but she knew now what it meant to love. She might not know
what it meant to be loved, but loving was almost as good.
First Line
She was a mother. She was a daughter. She was a sister and a wife. Delicate and so very beautiful.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Micah Sloane
The Heroine: Risa Clay
Israel is a place of many people and yet many beauties. The desert can bake a man in the day, freeze him when the moon rises high. Itβs a place of brutal beauty and enduring strength. It nourishes a man, even as it challenges him
Summary
Micah Sloane is of the Jewish faith and originally of the Massad fighter crew in Israel, but is now part of the Elite Ops and he knows that despite all that he knows of Risa and wants her, he can never have a future with her. Their lives in the Elite Ops are limited to what they can have in their lives. But he is determined to find the ghost that is hunting Risa, no matter what it takes. Risa was betrayed by her father and raped and treated in the most humiliating of ways, which has hampered any chance of a normal life. But now she is going out to meet friends and wanting to have a one night stand, to feel like a normal woman for once even though she knows she isn't beautiful and worthy of it. But then she meets Micah, who is possessive and strong and protective and she is drawn to him like a moth to flame, but there are so many secrets and there is a enemy that will stop at nothing to kill her.
She was tired of being miserable. And there was always the chance that for the first time in six years, she could find a place inside her that wasnβt tormented by the past. She just had to make that place, she told herself. That was all. She could do this. After all, she had survived hell, hadnβt she? If she had survived hell, then she could survive one night in a loverβs arms.
What I Loved
I really adored this couple together. Its fun to have a suspense where the heroine is a softer FMC and I loved that she had some abuse and trauma that she was working through. And to top it off, it has a plain jane heroine, I am all for it. I really connected with this heroine, because of how I resonated with her physically. Even though I know I am attractive, I have never felt truly beautiful, just like Risa. I loved that she was trying to better herself and try new experiences no matter how much she feared it or still felt the trauma of the abuse she suffered. She had such inner strength that I was immediately drawn to. Then we have this hero. Who is trying to protect her without her knowing that they are protecting her or her friends are keeping secrets too. This also has a forbidden love theme in it as Micah can never have a HEA with anyone, he can't marry or have children as he is bound by the contract he signed for the Elite Ops but seeing them work towards their HEA was amazing.
Micah had a weakness. A small, beautiful, passionate weakness that he feared could become the destruction of his soul.
What I Struggled With
There were a few plot holes here and there, but also the ending felt a bit anti climatic at times and it didn't truly satisfy. And the writing here is older contemporary so I am not used to that style as much anymore lol so the writing style put me off for a bit because I am just not used to it. I do wish the ending had been more satisfying between them and felt rushed. Like it was never answered how he would be able to marry her, just that he would in like once sentence. I would have preferred something more finale in the ending.
βI could stay here, covering you like a blanket meant to protect, forever,β he whispered at her ear. βYou are a light that will always guide me, a whisper Iβll always strain to hear.β
Overall View
Maverick is a powerful romance that really resonated with this reader for the character develpment. Your heart will fight along side Micah and Risa as they battle towards their HEA that is forbidden to them. Its wildly intense, emotionally dramatic and cuts a deep chord of emotion and heart all the way through.
βWhen you leave, will you remember me, Micah?β Risa asked then, her voice in the darkness stroking over his senses. βEven death could not steal your memory from me,β he promised her.
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance
Character Types: Abused, Softer FMC, Alpha Male, Military
Themes: Black Ops, Heart/Emotional Touching, Danger/Suspense, Friendship Focused
Tropes: Forbidden Love, Forced Proximity, Protector
How insane had he been to believe he could ever live without Risa when in truth, he hadnβt known what living was until he learned what loving her meant?
Book Perspective
3rd POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Both
If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Maya Banks
Pamela Clare
Rebecca Zanetti
Song This Book Inspires
Over and Over Again by Nathan Sykes
Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes
Steam/Spice Explanations
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.