New to me author.
Book six ... better late than never!
I fell in love with everything about this book. The character dynamics were off the charts. Turn Me Loose is one of those stories that you can see happen in real life. Everything from Riva going to extremes to get the love of her father to Ian trying to overcome a diagnosis that has him altering his career is perfectly laid out in this riveting story.
A Must Read!!
Need to find book one and catch up on this series.

Anne Calhoun writes intelligent, deep, sexy books. This one is no exception! The h/H have depth, real feelings and are totally relate-able. She is on my list of favorite authors. The tension and suspense are just enough. Highly recommended if you want a romance with depth.

A little slow at the start but I love how it quickly pulls you in. The cancer thing was kind of a shock and at times felt forced. I love how the author added the older characters back in explaining how they are now. Not sure I brought the whole my dad is a bad guy thing but okay read.

When Riva Henneman was eighteen she was busted for selling drugs by Officer Ian Hawthorn and given the option to avoid jail time by becoming a confidential informant. What Riva never revealed at that time was that she was really working for her father who turned his back on her after her arrest. With long nights together the two grew an attraction but neither acted upon it.

Now Riva has straightened out her life and runs her own restaurant using farm fresh ingredients she mostly grows herself. Also Riva is trying to work with the youth of the community giving them an opportunity for better lives. But when Ian Hawthorn walks into her restaurant she finds herself again extremely attracted to him and again trying to make a deal with him to save one of the kids working with her.

Turn Me Loose is the sixth book in the Alpha Ops series by Anne Calhoun. Each book in the series features a different couple so it is not necessary to have read the prior books in the series to enjoy this one. The male characters in the series each have some sort of military background in the stories tying the series together.

For me this edition to the series rates at about 3.5 stars. I found the couple to be alright but they also didn’t really grab me and make me fall in love with their story the way I’d like to rate a bit higher. I kind of questioned what exactly had changed that made it alright to pursue a relationship now when it wasn’t when they worked together before. Riva really was still going to be in danger trying to get the evidence needed but this time was also a lot more personal for her so it still seemed to be a stop sign to starting something between them. However if overlooking that dynamic the writing is still good turning it into an ok romance read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Ian and Riva are great....Ian arrests Riva for selling drugs, she becomes is CI....fast forward 7 years and the chemistry between them hasn't dimmed......to help one of her students Riva will help Ian take down her father, that's right her dad......a big fish in the drug trade........does it work. Will they survive?? Very good read.....funny, exciting, HOT!!!!!

One mistake would change the course of your life. Riva was just hoping that her father would love and accept her and the way how was to get involved in the business of selling drugs. But she was caught by a undercover policeman and that was the start of the relationship with Ian. It is complicated and it messed with her head for a long time. It has taken her years to finally find peace and the direction so was looking for but Ian is back and he is about to break her walls down again. Ian knows that it is dangerous getting involved with Riva's life again it took everything the last time to walk away. Can he do that again?
The more they get involved in her father's business they harder things become for them both as the sparks are flying all over the place. Can Ian get her out before it is too late?
Riva knew that she had to stop her father but it meant losing Ian and she just knows that she has to carry on but can she ever put her heart back together again? Will Ian just walk away for good this time? A really good solid story of new beginnings, courage and bittersweet revenge

An excellent book. The mistakes of a young girl come back in the future so she can fix them. Ian arrested a teen for selling drugs and then she comes back to help take down a major drug dealer. A must read.

Fast paced romantic suspense between Riva and Ian. Riva was once arrested by Officer Ian but became his Confidential Informant. She was only 18 and it would have crossed the line for the two of them to get together. Years later they meet and passion flares as they work together to take down a drug operation that is personal for Riva. Fun read!

I was given this book as a gift, I did enjoy it and I liked the characters. I think the writing flowed lovely.
I found myself just enjoying the story.

This book was fantastic. It's about a C.I and an undercover cop that arrested her when they were young 7 yrs prior. 7 yrs later something happened and they are repeating but now that they have both changed and they are working as equals could something more come from it.

Turn Me Loose by Anne Calhoun is the second book in this series that I have read. As each book is a stand alone, I never felt confused and it was fun to see the other couples from the series make an appearance.

Riva and Ian worked well together even though their history made it difficult for Riva. She has grown a lot since they first met and doesn't hesitate to stand up to Ian when necessary. They are both well developed characters and the plot is driven by their relationship more than action. I have to confess that I never really felt the attraction or intense desire between them. All in all a good story with an intense mystery.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All of the above opinions expressed are my own. I rate this book 3.5 stars.

Riva a college student at the time, gets arrested for selling drugs. Ian is a twenty five year old cop and if she becomes his confidential informant, he'll drop the charges. There is chemistry between them but neither will cross the line.

Now seven years later, Riva owns her own ground to table restaurant. She helps troubled kids and teaches them farming and cooking. Ian stops by not knowing Riva is the owner. After he eats she asks him to never come back. Ian is in the middle of stopping drug trafficking and corrupt cops in his town. He has one of Riva's kids arrested and she goes to get him. She makes a deal with Ian, drop the charges and she'll help bring down the head drug dealer.

It's been seven years since she went home but her mom needs her and Ian goes along. The fire between still blazes will they let it go out or see how hot it will burn them? Smoking sex scenes, will keep you on the edge of your seat. One thing I liked about Riva, she was strong and didn't blame her mistakes on others. Ian was see sawing between wanting her but not messing up his career. I did read it in one day.

*VOLUNTARILY REVIEWED THIS FOR NETGALLEY*

Seven years ago Riva Henneman's life was kind of a mess, and she made a lot of bad choices, ones that had her coming face to face with the law. Lucky for her the cop who caught her happened to be a little more understanding than most, and he made her a deal, which she reluctantly took, and it wound up helping her get her life back on the straight and narrow. She has since moved on from her wild and unruly days and become a productive member of society, even opening her own restaurant. Things are damn near perfect for her... that is until a certain sexy police officer wanders through her door! She always hoped their paths would never cross again, but fate had other plans them!


To say that Riva and Ian's relationship is complicated is a complete understatement, there are so many tallies in the cons column as to why they shouldn't be together, but for some reason fate keeps pushing them together anyhow. The past they share is riddled with hurt and misunderstanding, and Riva has a hard time letting go of of the pain that Ian caused her, and he is struggling with the fact that being with her could put his job in jeopardy. But, little by little they start to let go of everything holding them back and it opens the door for some serious fireworks!! The chemistry between these two was explosive, full of lust, passion and desire... they left me breathless and blushing more than few times! Their road to finding their happy ending is filled with lots of ups and downs, and plenty of spicy encounters... and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of their journey! Highly recommend this one, it's sure to leave you satisfied!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.

I feel like I should have liked this one more than I did. I liked Riva, liked how she turned her life around after realizing that her father was never going to love her, only use her to his advantage. I loved how Riva turned to the food to table movement, how she used her business to help kids that had been in trouble like her. Can even she how her caring was turned against her.

I'm on the fence with Ian. I liked him with Riva, yet I have a hard time buying that he would let himself get close to a CI. Yes, in the past her never crossed the line, but it still seemed off. In the past he put his quest to go further in the ahead of anything, even a woman he could care about, Riva. Granted at the time Riva probably wouldn't have gone there as she only saw Ian as the cop that "caught" her and then used her to go after the bigger fish.

Going after the big fish this time around cut a little too close to home for Riva. I liked that she didn't try to hide her connection, instead did what she could to help the police, even going so far as to give Ian an in. I think the best part of the book was at the end when Riva came up with the password right in front of the big fish, a great f-you to them!

The ending had me smiling, it brought all the previous couples together, all still clearly living their HEA.

I absolutely adored this book which is about Ian, the brother Jaime from one of Anne's earlier novella's called The Seal's Second Chance.

I want to say I didn't want this story to end but on the other hand couldn't wait to get to the end to find out who, where, what, why and how! With a fantastic plot and enough back story to keep turning the page, I was totally caught up in Riva and Ian's worlds and litterally thru the holding my breath moments I was seriously on the edge of my seat.

Turn Me Loose is an exciting, fast paced and action packed story of two people who met under very interesting circumstances back when Riva was in College. I loved the history of Riva and Ian and I loved how it was laid out slowy the attraction between the two and how it was clear they both had unfinished business. Turn Me Loose is the perfect example of how flashbacks can work and each flashback added to the story. A great analogy would be completing a jigsaw, each piece I read helped pain the picture. I really enjoyed the unique occupation Riva had and how she could use it to her advantage against her father.

I thought Turn Me Loose is a solid read with everything in it; mystery, drama, romance and Ian and Riva completely made the story! Ian was heroic in more ways than one and Riva was the bravest girl I've read about in a long time. I couldn't put it down and when i had to I was constantly thinking about the story. I finished feeling gutted I'd reached the end but 120% satisfied!

I loved loved loved this story and once again Anne Calhoun has me smiling even now that I write this and I finished the story a week ago. Definitely a shelf keeper and 100% will read again!

Turn Me Loose by Anne Calhoun was a hot, heart-pumping, nail biting novel! This book surely does not disappoint. Riva and Ian have first meet years ago while he is a cop, she is a meek drug dealer trying to live day by day. They give each-other information, and go in opposite directions believing they would never see each-other again.

Seven years later, they cross paths again! Ian is now the Chief of police, getting a quick bite to eat at a restaurant and gets a shock of his life. The waitress is non-other than Riva. The instant attraction is off the walls, and once more than they have to help each-other to defeat the bad guys.

A perfect second chance love story.

Turn Me Loose by Anne Calhoun is a novel to die for. The heat is massive. Raw chemistry increases with every page. The lust has the two main characters locked on each other. But there is more than just lust going on between Ian and Riva. History that brought them together is now, repeating itself. Placing Riva into a difficult spot. One that could endanger all the people she loves as well as her own life. Themes of drugs, violence, abuse, and hope are found within these pages. I was hooked from the beginning.

Turn Me Loose is exactly as the title suggests. A police officer, Ian Hawthorn, turns himself loose from his career to keep the one woman he loves, safe. He also, turns loose the woman he loved in the past ofor his career. Then, we see that a young guy is turned loose for a second chance at life. Anne Calhoun has once more drugged me with her powerful plot and irresistible charcaters. It was hard not to love both Ian and Riva. Their story pulled at my heart, made me laugh and cry. The ending was just as satisfactory as the rest of the book. Overall, I recommend it to readers everywhere.

This is my favourite book from Anne's Alpha Ops series. I tend to be a little wary of books where characters share a past, because there is either too much or too little back story. In this case the flashbacks weren't extraneous, but were useful in shedding light on both Ian and Riva. The chemistry between the two was sizzling and believable. The only qualms I have would be the age difference. While I don't think 7 years is a big deal especially when characters are on the more mature side, it is a bit weird when one is 18 and the other 25. It was definitely straddling on the line of inappropriate (which Calhoun addressed as a point of tension). The other thing that I found myself somewhat questioning was the ways in which Riva's father had managed to completely control her mother. I understand that he drugged her, but for her to be this defenseless, and for literally no one else to notice-- how does that work? Does Riva's mother _never_ step foot outside of the house? Because if she does, I'm pretty sure someone would realise that she looks ill and frail. I will say that Calhoun has a knack for writing villains, because he certainly gave me the chills...

Ultimately still not as good as Liberating Lacey and The List (my 2 personal favourites), but for a romantic suspense, definitely one of the best out there!

4.5 Holy Alpha OPs HOT!!!!

Wow, I like a good alpha and I like a back story but Put a man who has literally rebuilt himself and the woman he used to do it in the same room and watch the fireworks!!!

There is a lot of anger in this book, but in a good way. I like that the characters were upfront about their issue and that they communicated well, even if it was tinged with anger. They truly worked for what they got and they trusted each other even if they didn't think they could make it work. there was never any do I like Him, Does she like me? It was heat and fire and "cooking" chemistry.

When a case brings Rivas past barreling into her life again she decides to take steps to help Ian bring down a huge supplier, and help her student and her mother at the same time. She chooses to back to a life of fear and pain in order to help those she cares about, even Ian. Watching them, work together and work through their feelings was great. They truly become a pair and they work together well.


A novel of likeable and human characters as well as a fast moving plot and danger made this a top book for me this year. Looks like I will be digging into Ms. Calhoun's collection in the future!

Just enough suspense to keep you guessing and definitely enough hotness to keep you interested.
Getting arrested at 18 is not an ideal occurrence, being arrested by hot cop Ian Hawthorn just adds insult to injury. Fast forward seven years and Riva has reinvented herself, but the bad boy cop is still her weakness. Can they join forces and bring down the supplier that was the top of the drug ring or will they combust with their chemistry and fail in getting the goods?