Targeted

Deadly Ops, Book 1

By: Katie Reus

Narrated by: Sophie Eastlake

Former Marine sniper and current NSA agent Jack Stone has a new face to go with his new identity. But he still has the same tortured memories - which include the woman he let get away years ago. Now his new assignment in Miami will put him so close to the woman he's never been able to forget, he could reach out and touch her - if only she weren't under suspicion.

When Sophie Moreno uncovers evidence linking the medical supply company she works for with arms smuggling - and worse - she doesn't know who to turn to. After a shocking betrayal, she realizes that the only person she can trust is a mysterious new person in the company - a man with hauntingly familiar eyes. As Sophie questions her intense attraction to this man and Jack struggles not to blow his cover, the two of them race against the clock to stop terrorists from killing scores of people - starting with them.

Contains mature themes.

©2013 Katie Reus (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Nonstop action, a solid plot, good pacing and riveting suspense make for truly edge-of-your-seat excitement." (Melanie Bates, RT Book Reviews)

Narrators voice

Love narrators voice for the female character, but her male voices were horrible. It put a damper on the book.

Good Read Rainy Day

A good read with a fast moving plot. Catch me if you can. Mild sex. A little slow in getting to the truth but worth the wait. # romance # anguished # sex # heartfelt # happy ending # Tagsgiving # sweepstakes

Heart Stopping

Loved this book... I wasn't crazy about the voice given to the male main character, it just didn't fit the character Sam\Jack. The story is fantatic and overall 5 stars.

Riveting, action packed & emotion filled story

Where does Targeted rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is my second audio book and mind you, by the same author but I'm going to rate it as my favorite.

What did you like best about this story?

Targeted is the first book in the Deadly Ops Series and I have to say it’s become my favorite of Katie Reus’ contemporary stories. It starts with a lot emotion from the beginning, giving a few glimpses of life a soldier and what they may have to give up for the greater good. Then life moves on as normal for the rest of us, including those that were once a part of their life. That was the case of Jack Stone. He gave up a life in order to become one of the best NSA agents but hurt her beloved, Sophie Moreno, in the process.
Sophie thinks her high school sweet heart, Sam, is dead and has never been able to love again. As an adult, he works for a company that makes deliveries medical supplies but notices that something is not right and investigates on her own, making herself a target of a terrorist organization. Jack was sent to investigate how the company was involved with the terrorists and because of their past history; however she doesn't know Jack is the same person as the man she thinks dead. The same of his arrival he ends up saving Sophie and a never ending chase is started to discover who wants her dead, who’s behind conspiring with the terrorists, who’s the mole passing information about Sophie, at the same time that Sophie thinks she’s going crazy because she can’t stop thinking about Sam every time she looks at Jack! If that wasn't enough, it seems they are both being betrayed by people they considered close friends, and people Sophie cares about are being hurt and held hostage.
However at the heart of it all is the love that never died. There is attraction between Jack and Sophie but there are times she wonders if it’s because he reminds him so much of Sam or if it’s because she was attracted to Jack. The fact they didn't just give into the attraction made the story believable. The tension was there but it was coherent with the characters and the story. And when it finally happened, it felt realistic. Although I’m becoming a fan of Ms. Eastlake’s amazing narration, I’m buying this book in print because I want to read this book at my own pace and recreate this world again with my own voice.

What about Sophie Eastlake’s performance did you like?

I like her soft but clear voice. She takes great care in emphasizing the voices for each character and I could tell who was the one speaking before she actually said it.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Jack is thinking about the last time she saw Sophie and how she blamed him for her being assaulted. And then she apologized for what she said, knowing that it was not her fault indeed but she was hurt. That showed how young and naive they both were and how much they needed each other.

Any additional comments?

I will definitely be buying more books from Katie Reus and listening more from Sophie Eastlake.

Great fictional OPS story

Enjoyed the story very much. Kept the theme of the book going with a little romance on the side.
A little foul language but this makes the story more realistic as men who live and work in this environment probably speak this way routinely.

Well developed story with subtle tones of intrigue

I enjoyed the presentation of the story and felt little need to fast forward. The story line progressed at a good clip that kept me interested. My two biggest complaints are too common in this genre. There was the overuse of the f word.... Goodness writers, get a thesaurus! Overuse of profanity dumbs down your writing. The second issue is the needy / independent woman. Soph is proclaiming herself a strong independent woman but blames everything on one man... Ugh!

AWESOME STORY LINE!

Where does Targeted rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top of the shelf at the moment. Sophie Eastlake is awesome at bringing Katie Reus' book to life as she reads it.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I enjoyed getting to know Jack Stone in Targeted. I find myself drawn to Levi. Curious about his story and all he is getting in to.

What does Sophie Eastlake bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Sophie brings character. She is an amazing reader..knows just when to pause or raise her voice. You really get a feel for the scenery with her narration.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was drawn in. Did not want to put down my ipad. Found myself emotionally connected to Sophie. She had been through so much.

Any additional comments?

This is a must have in your collection!

Love It

Ms Reus does not disappoint. What do you do when you are assigned to guard the one woman who holds your heart but your face and identity have been changed and she believes you are dead. You object harshly but you protect her anyway. This is another story that shows how being a protector has great benefits. As time goes by and they are thrown together in many situations the truth comes to the surface. Does he get the girl? Does she find out who he is? Is he her Sam from childhood who protected her as she traveled through the foster system? Listen to or read the book. You will enjoy.

genuine good guy falls in love

This was an ok "read". The heroine wasn't TSTL but she did have some reactions that were irrational. I understand the reactions were a result of past happenings but still irrational just the same.

Our hero was a genuine good guy. Not as sexy as some marine's in other stories but still a good guy.

The story was action packed from the start and While the heat level wasn't as high as I had hoped the story was still entertaining.

Story - 2.75
narrator - 3

Fantastic Romantic Suspense

I really enjoyed the suspense of this story and was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Look forward to reading more from this series!