Lea Griffith

When he was twelve, Jeremiah Copeland’s abusive parents abandoned him, his younger brother David and their sister Ruthie. He did what was necessary to keep his family together and to survive. He became a drug and money runner for a local dealer. In middle school, he met Toby and they became friends up until University and beyond. In the mean time he had worked his way up to becoming a middleman between a dealer and the leader of the Dixie Mafia and eventually to an enforcer and bodyguard show more for the mafia leader. At twenty-one, he met Toby’s sixteen year old sister, Daly. The connection between them was instantaneous and deep, and he waited patiently until she turned twenty-one before he made her his. He went so far as to leave his life of crime behind him. For her. Because of her. As the daughter of a then senator, she risked her father’s ire to be with the former bad boy. But all of that ended when Jeremiah chose to help his brother out of trouble which cost him the woman he loved.

Three years later, Daly has to re-open old wounds and face Jeremiah, the only man she ever loved, walked away from and had never gotten over. He let her go once, but he won’t let her walk away again. Not without a fight to earn back Everything he’d once lost. As they fight for their second chance, someone is out to get Jeremiah and isn’t above using David and Daly to get to him. With trust issues still unresolved between them, will the once lovers learn from past mistakes or will history repeat itself?

Lea Griffith is a new to me author, but after spending the past five hours devouring this book, I’m so glad I requested it. I loved the connection between Daly and Jeremiah. From the first page, it was quickly established just how weary they both were about coming face-to-face for the first time in three years. Both of them were still suffering from the break-up three years ago, and neither had really moved on. Daly most certainly hadn’t. If it hadn’t been for the deeply intimate connection they once shared as Dom and sub, then her quick capitulation to Jeremiah’s dominance may have made her seem weak in the negative sense. However, it was clear that she was well aware and angry at herself for caving to him so easily. She wasn’t weak, but she was stubborn. They both were.

I haven’t come across a story quite like this before. In this D/s relationship, they had no problem trusting one another with their bodies or pleasure. But when they weren’t playing, a lack of trust was the very thing that had driven them apart. Trying to understand these characters and that odd dynamic was what kept my interest throughout. I got the feeling that they both fell for each other so suddenly and so deeply, they never got around to really understanding some base truths about each other which led to misunderstandings and not being able to communicate properly. Daly was a very black and white, right and wrong kind of woman. Jeremiah had an innate need to protect her. No matter how well-meaning Jeremiah’s attempts were to not let the ugliness of his past touch her, he also took away her choices. Daly subconsciously held his past against him which made it so much easier for her to dismiss and distrust his actions.

Their journey was sexually and emotionally intense. Every (HOT) encounter showed not only how perfect they were for one another, but it also gave them both an opportunity to grow, individually and together, if that was what they both wanted. I really liked the dual POVs which let me know where they were in their stages of healing and communication. Of course their stubbornness made several attempts to derail them, and I wanted to scream at them. The ending was very appropriate and came full circle.

The secondary characters were interesting enough to pique my interest. I would love to know more about Toby, what happened to him and what his history with Ruthie was. I look forward to reading their story as well as discovering if the Dixie Mafia will return and interfere with Jeremiah’s life. Since this was an uncorrected proof, any inconsistencies I did observe are probably irrelevant.

The Bottom Line

Too Much was an emotionally and sexually charged story about second chances and learning to love and trust again. The BDSM elements heightened their dynamics and allowed them to bare themselves on different levels while they worked on their verbal communication. The suspense portion served to make them open up faster, but it was also a predictable plot device that would test the strength of their love. I enjoyed it enough that I will be purchasing this book for my personal collection when it releases.

"But most of all, he needed to breathe the same air she did. Feel the softness of her skin against his and hear the thump-thump-thump of her heart in his ear. He needed to settle on top of her body and renew himself in her. Because everything began and ended with Daly. That was the cost of loving her. Without her, he wasn’t whole."

Rating: 4.5

Disclaimer: Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own, and in no way represent the views or opinions of the publisher/distributor. show less

I've stepped out of my carefully constructed contemporary box lately. I've thrown in some different subgenres and been blown away. I walked into this story with "The assassin is a woman and badass." GO GIRL POWER!

"Women were universally the more vicious gender. Cross a woman and hell had no fury to compare to her rage."

Damn straight! And once you read Bullet's story, you'll be understanding of her rage. Not to say our male lead, Rand, was to be put in the corner. He was his own version of show more badassness! And when the two start the embers of sexual chemistry - Whoa Baby!!

So, what is it that I liked so well? First off, I'm a huge Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum fan. I read all their novels when I was on a spy thriller reading kick. And Lea Griffith's story read so strong and true to all that appealed to me as a reader. It was fast paced, and yet she intertwined backstory to get you engaged with the characters. Bullet is amazing female lead as she is a force to be reckoned with, yet not over the top bitchiness that makes you not like her. Rand was definitely-I'm in control alpha male but can take a back seat and recognize when the 'girl' has the skills.

The story was thrilling and twisting that have you turning the pages long into the night to find out what happens next. But besides a thriller, there is a very appealing love story to offer. Its fun and leaves off where you can stop there or continue on to see what her 'sisters' bring to the table.
5 out of 5 thrilling stars.

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I like the Endgame Ops "family" (though at this point, it is somewhat difficult to figure out which of them are on the wrong side). We really only learn of Kinston McNally's life in this book, but if most of them are like him, then it is good that they've found "family" they can rely on.

This book seems to center on the idea that a woman wants someone who will make her feel safe. For all his tough guy attitude, King also has a softer side that he shows Allie: talking to her about his show more childhood, comforting her when she's hurting, etc.

There's lots of action. Maybe too much. How many times can the same person get blown up and yet escape and survive?

However the streak of possessiveness in King's feelings toward Allie concerns me. Possessiveness can mask more sinister issues. Also, we, as readers, know from the time the two first meet that they're eventually going to be intimate, despite all their dancing around it for their various reasons.

So a plus for the characters and action but a minus for the intimacy and convoluted good guy/bad guy scenario that keeps you wondering who on the team isn't a team player. show less

This is hardcore stuff right here.. The author blew me away with the brutality and heartbreak of this story.

Girls are taken at the age of 5 by a sadistic man who tortures the humanity out of them to turn them into deadly assassins. Twenty two years ago he took his first set of girls now they are his best assassins. But for those 22 years they have been plotting to get there revenge. The one born Gretchen who became Bullet is the heroine of this story. She is the deadliest sniper there is. show more When she purposely botches her latest job to set her plan in motion for revenge she has to endure more torture at the hands of the man she just let live because he thinks she is the one that killed his wife and daughter 7 years ago.

The hatred Rand Beckett has for Bullet and the extreme torture he puts her through is brutal but it’s nothing new to her as she was put through similar torture from the man who is head of The Collective. Bullet has to be the strongest female character I have ever read. Nothing can break her. The inner struggle these two go through as they work through their feelings – his of hatred and her of never having any for so long due to her programming – was fascinating to watch.

The main objective of both the 4 assassins and Rend’s group men who make up Trident Corporation is to kill all of the men that make up The Collective. The assassins want Joseph’s head and Trident wants The Collective’s. There is not a resolution to this at the end of the book. As there are three more of the female assassins’ stories to tell I am guessing the final revenge will not be until the last book. I am soo in on all the future books in this series. show less