BORN WILD BLOG TOUR by JULIE ANN WALKER ~ REVIEW, INTERVIEW AND SERIES GIVEAWAY

Series: Black Knights Inc #5
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: 11/5/13
Format: ARC
Pages: 352
Source: Received from publisher for review
Rating: 4 stars

She's got three rules:

1. Trust no one… Eve Edens has been abandoned, used, or manipulated by almost everyone she's ever met. Born into ridiculous wealth, she's dealt with the petty jealousies and sordid little resentments for nearly thirty years. But after three botched attempts on her life, she can no longer ignore the truth. Someone wants her dead.

2. Avoid the bad boys at all costs… William "Wild Bill" Reichert, the wonderfully sexy boy who abandoned her years ago, is back in town. Only he's no boy. Now he's a covert operative - and he's all man. When Eve hires Bill to help her discover who is behind the attacks, Bill soon comes to suspect it's someone much closer to Eve than she dares to believe.

3. And never fall for the same ruse twice… The search for the killer takes Bill and Eve deep into the dark secrets and strange world of the rich and famous, and into the heart of red-hot passion re-ignited by the peril that threatens to consume them both. But does Eve dare risk her heart on Bill a second time?

I've been really getting into Romantic Suspense recently and have had my eye on Julie Ann Walker's Black Knights Inc series for quite some time now. I'm a reader who prefers to read in order, but am also okay with jumping in mid-series. Luckily, this is another series consisting of companion books, and I could easily pick up book five without feeling lost, though I do want to read the first four. In fact, this has been one of the easiest experiences I've had with a mid-series pick up.

Born Wild, set in Chicago, is the story of Eve Edens, a socialite/marine biologist, and "Wild Bill" Reichart, a motorcycle mechanic/covert operative in the Black Knights. Like a lot of my favorite romances, Bill and Eve have history, which met a bad end. Twelve years later, Eve is in trouble -someone wants her dead - and comes to Black Knights for help. Bill, still angry with the way Eve ended the relationship, obviously still cares, and vows to help her. So what we have is a second chance romance, mixed with an exciting and action-packed adventure. It was intense, yet fun and filled with a lot of sexual tension.

As I mentioned before, this is the first of Walker's books I've read, and I really enjoy her style. I found it very easy to fall in with her characters and their story. The suspense was well-done and had me guessing until almost the last page. The love story was by turns sad and sweet, but always mindful of the history between the two. I really liked the pacing, which was quick but not rushed. Born Wild is a story I enjoyed from front to back. I will definitely be reading the entire Black Knights Inc series in the (hopefully) near future.



Favorite Quotes:


  ....But first he wanted to kiss her. Kiss her like he hadn't kissed a woman since her, with everything he had, with his whole body, with his whole...heart.   ~ARC, pg 110


  He wanted to plow her like a wheat field.
  It was crude. But it was true.   ~ARC, pg 278


  It was so good. Wait. Good? No, no. It was better than good. It was transcendent. Like, for a brief moment, she thought maybe she could see through space and time. Scientists claimed all the elements on Earth, from the rocks to the atmosphere, from the smallest insect crawling through a log to the smartest man ever born, came from stardust. And that's what she felt like right now. Stardust. Elemental and at the same time so flippin' mystical and amazing.   ~ARC, pg 288-9

 

 

 

 

 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Biker books seem to have blown up in popularity recently. Why do you think that is?
Julie: I think there are a couple of things at play here. The first is that for a few years now, custom motorcycle building shows have taken over television. Think American Chopper, Biker Build-Off, American Thunder. The average Joe can now tune in to see how these masterful works of fuel-powered art are made. Secondly, I think the huge success of Sons of Anarchy has catapulted the MC - motorcycle club - lifestyle out of the shadows and into the limelight. Thanks to Charlie Hunnam, bikers are now seen as super sexy! ;-)


Born Wild is the fifth book in the Black Knights, Inc series. How do you continue to keep the series fresh?
Julie: I like to think that my characters are unique, filled with their own idiosyncrasies and foibles. So, in that aspect alone, the stories are exclusive to them. Also, there's a ton of room to play in the romantic suspense genre. Kidnappings, terrorist plots, modern-day pirates, crooked politicians, gangsters... The list of possibilities for a story arc are endless. Thank goodness! LOL!

Do you control your characters, or do they ever surprise you by taking over the story?
Julie: I'm never in control. Because my characters are so individual, they move the story along as opposed to the story moving them along. Since that's the case, I'm constantly surprised by the journeys they take me on, by the way they react to things or handle things. But I suppose that's what makes it so fun for me. I never know what's coming next! :-D

Does Born Wild have an overall message? If so, what do you hope readers take away from the story?
Julie: This is always such a difficult question for me. I don't set out to write a book with a message. I simply set out to write a book that's fun to read. But, inevitably, like most stories, there is a bit of a "lesson to be learned." And in Born Wild, I think that lesson is that there is such a thing as second-chance love. That people do grow and change, and it's okay to risk your heart a second time.

Is there a particular book or author who's inspired you?
Julie: I have too many to list here. But I will say that I love the internal dialogue in Stephen King books. I adore John Grisham for his ability to twist a plot on its head. And I idolize Suzanne Brockmann for the chances she takes in her books - having a gay hero, etc. I suppose all authors inspire me. Because it takes a certain intestinal fortitude to work so hard on a project that's uniquely you, and then send it out into the world to either be universally panned or praised.


Can you tell us about any current or future projects?
Julie: Absolutely! I just turned in the sixth book in the series, Hell For Leather. It stars the slow-talking, Texas-born, former Fed, Bryan "Mac" McMillan and that loudmouthed, redheaded bartrendress we've all come to know and love, Delilah Fairchild. There's terrorists running amok, a missing uncle, flying bullets, and smokin' hot sexy times. Basically, all the good things. I can't wait for readers to get their hands on it! It’ll be in stores next July!

The Black Knights Inc. Series

    

(covers lead to GoodReads)

PRAISE FOR BORN WILD

“One heck of a riveting plotline... Born Wild is definitely not to be missed!”

—RT Book Reviews, 4 ½ Stars

“A wild roller coaster ride of a story... Nonstop action.”

 —Fresh Fiction

“Drama, danger and sexual tension... Romantic suspense at its best.”

—Night Owl Reviews, 5/5 Stars, Reviewer Top Pick

  

Purchase Born Wild

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GIVEAWAY
Win all five books in the Black Knights Inc series, courtesy of Sourcebooks.
Must be 18+ years of age to enter, open US.

To enter: Just fill the form with your name and email address. For an extra entry, leave a comment about the Black Knights Inc. series. Have you read any of the books? Which cover is your favorite?
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About the author
Julie Ann Walker is prone to spouting movie quotes and song lyrics. She'll never say no to sharing a glass of wine or going for a long walk. She prefers impromptu travel over the scheduled kind, and she takes her coffee with milk. You can usually find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission Visit her at http://www.julieannwalker.com or follow her on Facebook and/or Twitter.