Viable Threat by Julie Rowe is the first installment in the Outbreak Task Force series.
Viable Threat is a fast paced thriller - romance who had me at the edge of my seat while reading.

Meet Special Forces medic Walter River, he´s ordered to work with CDC in El Paso to investigate the outbreak of a disease.
And Dr. Ava Lloyd, she´s with the CDC as microbiologist. Both get paired up and there is this crazy insta-chemistry.
But the clock is ticking and people are dying . Nobody knows if they will be successful.
They race against time and terrorists evil.
This book has it all, a great story, wonderful characters and emotions.
I greatly enjoyed reading Viable Threat and can´t wait till the next book.
5 Stars and Thank you Julie Rowe!

This is my first read by Julie Rowe and I just loved it. It's very fast paced and keeps you thinking the whole way through. Not the sort of book I'd normally chose but I'm so glad I read it. River is just so sexy, hot and macho without trying! Special forces kinda hot. Yummy. My brain was working overtime to solve the mystery of who was the ring leader of this bio-terrorism fiasco. Very gripping stuff. The love story threading through the book, with River and Ava, is just so sweet.

The rush is on to find out who the terrorists are who have infected the students and others of El Paso Uni. This is bio-terrorism at its scariest. River is more than capable of ruining any 'bad guy's' day! He is there to protect the lovely doctor, Ava, in her efforts to collect evidence from the area and try to work out what this thing is that's killing people by the dozens, soon to be hundreds! This needs brain power and smarts. Fantastic!

So many nail biting moments and quite a few laughs too with the retired Drill Sergeant. He is awesome!
Such a well written story and very addictive.
You should read this!

I LOVED THIS BOOK! It was so exciting, scary, fun, and sexy. It was exactly what I want my romantic suspense to be! This is my first book by this author, and I want more!

Dr. Ava Lloyd is a microbiologist working for the CDC. She investigates infectious diseases, and she's been called to El Paso, Texas for an outbreak of an unknown pathogen. She's brilliant, and great at her job, and the last thing she needs is some military man showing up to tell her what to do. She's worried that's exactly what's about to happen when she's assigned a partner to watch her back while she investigates.

Walter River is Army Special Forces. He's a soldier, a medic, a teacher, and a protector. He gets called in to help Ava, since he's dealt with an outbreak during his service in the past. He gets to El Paso and walks into chaos. He is ready to jump in and help wherever he can, as it's obviously needed. When he meets Ava, he's taken with her beauty, and with her intelligence, right away, even inside a hazmat suit. He's determined to keep her alive throughout this mission.

River and Ava's chemistry was strong, and I loved their banter, and nicknames. They were really there for each other, in all different ways, throughout the entire story, and I loved that. There was definitely some insta-lust happening, but I am so ok with that! Especially as there was a lot keeping them too busy to act on it for a while, so it was constantly simmering beneath the surface.

The suspense plot line was scary and exciting, and so well done. It was even scarier to think how easily something like this could happen in real life. It kept me guessing about what would happen next and who the bad guys were. I can't say much more about that part of the plot without spoilers, but I was so excited to be kept guessing till the end. I also really enjoyed many of the side characters, especially Henry. I'm hoping, as this is to be a series, that he'll be getting his own story soon.

This really was a fantastic story, and I had so much fun reading it. I can't wait for more of this series!

this was a test, this was a test, this was a test, this was a test, this was a test, this was a test...

My MO is to not really comment on the covers but this one? Well look at it. Isn’t scrumptious and utterly lickable?
My first impression is there is a lot of suspense not so much romance. The romantic aspect of the MC went under in all the action packed, face paced plot in the book. Nevertheless I still liked the book.
A deadly virus has been released in El Paso, Texas. The number of deaths are quickly adding up and the number of infected even more so. River our Hero is called to protect Dr. Ava Lloyd so that she can do her job.
River is a strong Hero and a keep cool kind of guy. He is up to the task of protecting his mouse.
Ava Lloyd works for the CDC and is to collect samples at locations where the virus first turned up. Mr. Smooth goes to help her and there is instant attraction.
I guess under extreme circumstances of having four near death experiences with explosives catching the virus and having an overall pretty shitty day can lead you to fall in love with one another quite quickly.
It is clear that the author knows what she is writing about what with a detailed description of viruses, pathogens etc. I was overwhelmed by the information at times. The author touches on topics of domestic terrorism camouflaged as international terrorism her ability to depict a realistic real case scenario are kind of scary.
What irritated me the most? I guessed the brain behind the master plan of destruction pretty early on in the book.
My recommendation is that if you are looking for something different and it being light on romance then this is a book for you.

This book was awesome! It has it all: an engaging premise, lots of action, smart characters and romantic tension. With the leads being military and from the CDC, they were both fighting for the good of the public, which made it easy to root for them. It was refreshing how supportive River was of Ava's abilities and how sure she was in what she was doing. He was protective, but understood she was experienced and well-trained. Both her hang ups about dating another Special Forces soldier and his PTSD were minor plot points and didn't feel fleshed out until the end. Which is fair, considering how high the stakes were during the terrorist attack.
I did figure out pretty quickly who the lead bad guy was since most of the other side characters were not named or were killed, but I didn't mind going along for the ride to see if I was right.
I can't wait for another installment in the series!

Terrifyingly possible. River and Ava work together to find a way to stop a biological attack that could decimate the world. Despite a few times when I thought, "not sure that could happen in real life", this was a book I wouldn't put down. Tense, scary, and manages to include a romance on top of the thrills.

Now I understand why so many of my customers have been asking for her books! Great romantic suspense- can't wait to go read more of her books!

What a good solid romantic hot romance. Good solid plot kept me interested.

This book was great...a special forces guy helping a cdc lady stay protected both have a past and neither knows what to do with their feelings for one another. Between life threatening times and trying figure out who is responsible the only thing they can do is trust one another and do it quickly.

This is the first book I have ever read by Julie Rowe and I must say she certainly knows how to write romantic suspense. Although I must say this book has the potential to seriously freak readers out simply because the threat posed within this book is sadly all too possible. Ava Lloyd is a doctor with the CDC who is called in to identify the origin of a bio-terrorist attack while River is the special forces medic assigned to protect and assist her. This book had everything from bio-terrorism, explosives, kidnapping, political intrigue and more. Definitely a nail-biter since most of the action in this story takes place over the period of one day. In fact, at times you might think seriously all this has happened to River and Ava in 24 hours. This book will pull you in and not let go until after the last page is turned!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

Full of energetic action and suspense with a ton of intrigue. Viable Threat by Julie Rowe was the first book I've read by this author and will not be my last. It was wonderful, and I immediately fell in love with the characters. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

enjoyable read.

*about 3-3.5 stars for me

Well this one was a bit of a whirlwind. Um. Well. Okay so I'm going to start out by saying this was definitely fast paced and had a whole bunch of bureaucracy to set up each scene. The whole premise surrounded a mystery virus that was quickly spreading around a college campus. This is how the main protagonists River, special forces, and Ava, CDC epidemiologist meet. He is her muscle throughout the whole ordeal but needless to say Ava is her own badass the story and has some very ballsy soliloquy's in very opportune times. Through their close proximity they develop a very "instant" attraction.

This story had a very big "24" feel to it. I mean that in the sense that the whole story is about the rush against time. The rush to find who is behind this virus, people are dying, everyone is in panic, is this terrorism. What was very throughly depicted was the tensions between the CDC, Homeland and FBI, that added to the frustrations of Ava, River and the reader. You could just feel the red tape and secrecy the author wanted you to feel. It was its own obstacle the main characters had to face.

I liked Ava and River, I thought they were a good match. I just was am not a fan of insta-love. You understand it because of the dire circumstances both of them were under and they looked to each other for comfort. However, that doesn't mean it always works. I just felt it took a back seat to everything else that was going on that it was almost like an afterthought. There were some really connected moments but then Ava would bring up her past and I felt it was so unnecessary, like you have a chance of dying, River is in front of you and all you do is bring up your past that really isn't explained all to well till later on in the story when too much time has gone by. I guess there was too much going on that I got annoyed.

The story itself was interesting and it almost read like a TV show. Just there was too much. It wasn't terrible, just wasn't great. Sometimes books like these you got to take and read in chunks. Give them a chance but proceed with caution. Plus the end after all this build up, felt rushed.

Recommendation: Wanna try a thriller/romance/special forces/combat themed story? Well try it. Maybe you will like it better than I did.

Hoot! Hoot! I have found myself a new author! This book is seriously zero to sixty and then continues to climb in action, speed, dark humor, loyalty, and more. It's everything I could ask for in a book and I could NOT put it down. My geek side showed a little in how much a liked this book. I love the fact that the heroine is just as strong as the hero, in fact she's a bit smarter too.

When River, Army Special Forces soldier, is called in to assist the CDC in an biological weapon attack he has an idea what he's in for but not who he'll be partnered with.

Ava, is on her first job for the CDC in El Paso when as she is collecting samples from the coffee shop thought to be ground zero for the initial spread of what's infecting people, when a seriously sick young man wired with a bomb comes in to make his demands. Immediately she has River in her ear helping her through keeping the kid calm while he lines up a sniper shot to protect her. She is shakey and terrified of how today is going to go.

The two work together but are put in impossible situations to which they have to add their own sense of humor to stay sane. The book gets better and better as you read it but it starts off perfectly, as well.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved every book that I've read by Julie Rowe. And Viable Threat, is no exception. If you're looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, then this is the book for you. It's the perfect start to the newest series by Julie Rowe. It has a couple of characters from her Biological Response Team series and is just as suspenseful.

Wow! This book is non stop and had me turning pages just as quickly as possible - it's fast paced action at its best. In it, River, a special forces soldier, is assigned to assist Ava, a CDC physician, investigate a horrible illness sweeping the area. As they investigate, it quickly becomes apparent that the illness is a deliberate action and not a random occurrence.

They rush from scene to scene - Reeves providing the security and door "keys" and Ava the microbiology skills. They encounter many people that try to thwart them and some that just want them dead. Despite the serious subject matter, there a bits of humor that made me laugh out loud and a bit of romance. I loved the characters and felt invested in their story. River is swoon-worthy, but imperfect with ghosts of his own, while Ava is haunted by different ghosts from her past.

This novel also contained a line that I just loved: "Any idiot can go through life without making enemies...Congratulations. It takes character and intelligence to make people want to kill you." If that quote appeals to you, you will love this book.

This is a must read book for fans of the genre. You'll want to put this one at the top of your TBR. I'm adding the author to my must read authors' list.

I think Julie Rowe has written a winner with this one. ‘Viable Threat’ is thrilling, heart-pounding, a fast-paced ride that whisks you through the tense situation of a sudden outbreak and a series of attacks in the city that point to biological terrorism. And in the maelstrom, a Special Forces soldier and a microbiologist join forces to help contain it and get to ground zero, but the journey ahead is fraught with nothing but danger and minefields.

There’s also a lot of arguing over territory, conflicting agendas and hidden motives as the ugly politics of emergency management come to the fore…while bodies drop like flies during a plague. As dry as this bit of the conflict can be, Rowe handles it well, with way more realism than I expected and throws in more than a spicy dash of conspiracy theories and odd, but not unwelcome bits of humour that kept me wide-eyed and entertained.

That’s the beauty of fast-paced action and suspense in the RS genre when done right. But the characters as well as the protagonists ground the story, so strongly-crafted and so memorable that they’ll probably stay in my mind for a long time. A side-note here: the Drill Sergeant gets my vote as a fan favourite, by the way.

But River and Ava stole the show completely. River was serious and confident when he needed to be, quietly flirtatious with his ‘mouse’ in a way that made me laugh, unfailingly loyal when given his orders to stick by Ava yet never quite overstepping his boundaries as he defers to her—a rare quality in any case, matched only by his atypical appearance that isn’t quite what the usual RS hero looks like. I loved how competent they both were without the necessary posturing and their partnership—as put together as it is—did seem like a good, solid one that will outlast this outbreak.

There’s no dancing around their attraction or silly games because the stakes are too high for anything else. Battling the sudden outbreak takes priority and everything else fades into the background for now, which is what both characters do, dedicated as they are to their jobs. Yet bonds are forged in risky, life-and-death-type situations and Ava/River’s growing loyalty to each other is no less reminiscent of the brotherhood formed among soldiers who go to war together. It’s an added dimension to the usual physical and emotional connection that most readers crave for in romances and with this unshakeable bond forming in times of emergency, ‘Viral Justice’ gives this burgeoning relationship depth, but it's compressed so much within this short time span (just over 24 hours) that made me wonder if it’s merely adrenaline and sexual tension sparking between them.

The somewhat rushed conclusion aside, Rowe’s Outbreak Task Force is going to be a series I’ll be keeping an eye on—if the sequels are going to be anything like this explosive thriller, I’m down for the count.

Julie Rowe has written another adrenalin-filled, action-packed story filled with brainwashed terrorists, brave men and women who put their lives on the line for their country, a brave but damaged soldier and a brilliant and sassy scientist.

I cannot even begin to express my excitement at getting my grubby hands on Viable Threat after hanging out for another book since finishing the last book in Ms Rowe's Biological Response Team series. When it comes to heart-pounding suspense, no one does it quite like Ms Rowe.

I remember liking River from the previous series and wanting a story for him. Well, actually, I wanted a story for all of Ms Rowe's characters because I cannot get enough of her writing, but I digress ... I love River. He is smart, talented and accomplished. He's Special Forces, so he's a man with many skills and a force to be reckoned with. He also comes with demons of his own, flashbacks from dangerous operations in the past and perhaps a touch of PTSD.

"River didn’t sound surprised or even concerned. Like this kind of tactic was to be expected. How many times had he faced this scenario in order for him to recognize it with no dismay? How burned out, how tired, how emotionally battered did a man have to get to live in that kind of hell inside his head? Her whole body ached at the thought, at the realization."

All of that makes him the man he is, one who is dedicated, focused and not allowing his shortcomings get in the way of getting the job done. He's also got a wicked sense of humor. Perhaps it's the humor that keeps him sane in the face of all the dangerous situations he's in and the tragedies he's experienced.

"“Any idiot can go through life without making enemies.” River said cheerfully. “Congratulations. It takes character and intelligence to make people want to kill you.”"

And Ava is the perfect counterpoint to him. Also dedicated, but brilliant, feisty and sassy. She's tough and she's brave, and even when things get rough, difficult and dangerous, she soldiers on. She would give any soldier a run for their money with her endurance and perseverance.

"“I’m not always tough, though.” She paused, then continued. “I’ve had my share of breakdowns where I cried until I looked like someone had beaten me.” “Did you leave? Stop whatever you were doing?” “No.” She sounded insulted. “I blew my nose and went back to work.” “Exactly. That’s what a tough person does. Accepts the shitty shit, vents, then finishes the job.”"

While Ms Rowe brings us characters to love and a suspenseful story to entertain, she also drives home some truths and ugliness about terrorism, whether international or domestic with the bio-terriorism outbreak she uses as the crux of the story. It illustrates the dangers faced by the soldiers and law enforcement agents who fight the fight daily, much to the ignorance of the everyday person, but also the vulnerability of the young and impressionable, and the people who would exploit them. There are always people with hidden agendas, selfish ulterior motives, and a desire to hurt and destroy we are unaware of. Everyday citizens who get injured and become collateral damage. Beyond the entertainment in this story is the lesson that there are dangers all around us and there are people fighting a war which we do not necessarily see. The media is not always right, nor do they report everything. I'm not condoning becoming a vigilante or taking the enforcement out of the hands of rightful people, only saying that we need to be aware of what's going on around us rather than hide our heads in the sand.

River is right when he says:

"“Wars aren’t won with might,” he said, leaning forward and lowering his voice. “They’re won with intelligence, perseverance, and conviction.”"

And saying all that, Ms Rowe is not afraid to get dirty with the effects of war and the devastation that ensues as a result.

"The bastards had blown up a college kid and coffee shop, a mall, the main gate at a military base, a dorm, and city hall. He wouldn’t be surprised to find anywhere they might have worked or hidden stuff to also have IEDs."

I loved this story. And I know I will love this series. I can't wait for Smoke's story which will be next as he has always been one of my favorite characters.