This book seemed to drag in the middle, to much about her past. The romance part of the book seemed contrived. I will read the next book in this series as I usually love her books

A bone chilling suspenseful thriller. You won't want to put it down.

Perfect if you like the serial killer genre AND a touch of romance. Carmen is a journalist, not a psychologist or a Law enforcement officer (the usual protagonist) and she's got a problem- the bad guy is coming after her. She teams up with Griffin to untangle the mystery and keep herself and others safe. Frankly some of the romance language was really dopey but this is a decent read with enough twists to keep you guessing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

4.5 Stars!
Book #2 in The Agency is just and dark, edgy, and creepy as the previous book. Carmen has written a book about serial killers and why they do the horrible things that they do. Now she needs the help of computer specialist Griffin because someone is using parts of her book as a blueprint for murder. Because the victims are lost women like hookers, the authorities are in no hurry to listen to Carmen. But she knows that no one deserves to die such horrid deaths. Griffin turns her down at first, she had finagled him in the past. Eventually, he knows Carmen is really on to something and together they start to figure out what is going on. There are plenty of twists and turns in this fast paced and well thought out suspense story. The sparks also flew between Carmen and Griffin while dealing with some dangerous minds. Alexandra Ivy has done it again!

I adore this author. I am a total wuss for suspense books, but I put myself through it because I know this author will bring it all to the table. So amid my starts and stops and pacing---I finished. So worth the read!!

The premise alone should set you on edge. Carmen is an author and has published a book about real life serial killers. I mean....why??? Someone is sending her photos of copycat kills and she turns to the only person she knows that might help. WE met computer geek Griffen in the first book of this series.

They have a history but Carmen is determined. Hold on to your seats because what follows is a laundry list of who dunit? So many possibilities. The twisted path to get to the ending left me glued to my kindle for the last third of the story.

We have some romance along the way between Carmen and Griffen but ultimately this is a suspense novel. Grab it. Read it. It's worth your time.

Page turning mystery with just a bit of romance. Definitely recommend for those that love to read mysteries!

I spent the bulk of Alexandra Ivy’s WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF trying to remember if I’d read the first book in the series since the characters seemed somewhat familiar--clearly not a sign of a memorable book. It was only after I’d finished WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF and checked my ‘Read’ list that I confirmed I had indeed read the preceding novel, and I suspect that if there is a book #3 in the The Agency series, I will ask the same question again. Like with its predecessor, it’s not that WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF is bad per se, it’s simply that it’s forgettable. On to the next book in my TBR pile.

**ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley

What Are You Afraid of? by Alexandra Ivy.
Book Two in The Agency Series.

Holy Smokes, What a ride. WHAT. A. RIDE! I am not even sure I can put into words how I feel, this was beyond creepy. lol. I thought the first one was creepy, but I think this was more like goose bumps thrilling. You can read this as a standalone, but you will want to go back and read the first one, which I loved more then this one. I still really enjoyed this, but not as I did the first one.

This book follows Carmen Jacobs and Griffin and the "Hunter"

Alexandra Ivy has such wonderful talent pulling the reader into her worlds, keeps us engaged and pulls the rug out from under your feet. You most defiantly don't want to miss out on this suspense mystery. The romance in this novel is not the forefront of the story, its there simmering in the background but not the main focus. I enjoy personally a little more romance, but for you readers that don't you will love this.

Griffin is a software millionaire and Carmen is a investigative journalist she has recently written a book about 5 of Americas worst psycho killers. And it seems she has interested a new killer that now has his eye on the prize. He is the HUNTER!

Carmen turns to Griff for help, and from there we bask into secrets unveiled and killers who want them both dead, but why?
With plenty of things being uncovered and truths are revealed, but are they the real truth? Who can you trust? family or foe?

The scenes from the Hunters perspective are pretty gruesome and pretty graphic, I was on the edge on my chair at times. I didn't see all the twist and turns, the last 40% was intense. I loved it, I was shook!

Plot, characters and the writing is perfect, it is very twisted and it read fast. it makes you keep guessing, lots of suspects and until the very end you wont know what the heck is happening. Its so good!

I am not going to go into the blurb too much, or anything else as I went into this bind and I think it is the perfect way to do so.

Trust me when you pick this chilling thriller up you will not put it down till the end.

This is the second book in the Agency Series it is a stand alone novel but once you read it you will go back to read the first in the series because it is just that good.

Alexandra Ivy is able to pull readers in from the beginning to the end finding the little twist that will hook readers and pull them willing into this series. The wild ride that will take readers across the United States will have readers guessing who could be the killer or killers?

Carmen Jacobs doesn't seem like she would be a writer of serial killer or that those killers would have a following that is willing to kill her. Griffin is a Software millionaire that will keep Carmen safe. The story will pull at readers hearts strings as Carmen comes face to face with family who have secrets.



I think most readers will see what every twist that are in the story but its the romance between Carmen and Griffin that will keep readers hooked wanting a happy ending.



I can't wait to read the next in the series.



Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Zebra, for the advance copy

Carmen is a writer and wrote a best seller about serial killers. When she was a child, her father killed her mother and then himself, leaving her with her mother’s parents. Now someone is copying the killers in her book. The killer is sending photographs of murdered women. She goes to the police but no one believes her. She goes to Griff, a computer expert for help. She tricked him while she was writing his book to find out about the program he wrote for the authorities to catch killers. Griff is still mad about being duped, he turns Carmen away but then goes after her. He decides to stick by her when she starts getting more photos and is cut by a stranger. The longer they are together, the harder he falls for her. But when she’s taken right out of his house, he’ll do anything to get her back.
Extremely suspenseful. This will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. Secrets are uncovered and truths are revealed. A little steamy but more action and suspense.

3* This author's paranormal tales are her best. This was predictable and rather old-fashioned and chauvinistic at times, as well as unintentionally lol!

At one point, AI was an autobuy for me, but then towards the end of her Guardians of Eternity series she started making lesser characters into lead guys and even an antihero into one, I think, which turned me off the series. It felt as if she was trying too hard to eke it out instead of going out on top. So, I stopped reading her, but was pleased to see she'd branched into contemp mystery and thrillers. I've not read the first book in this series, and in fact only sussed that it was a series when a Rylan got mentioned several times, as well as his new wife Jaci, and all became clear. Rylan only appeared in this tale, really, to name drop so that readers could pick up his book - he had no real purpose in it, other than talking about food and his wife's muffins, and no, no innuendo intended or included.

As to the tale itself - it's been done many times, and a lot better. Female, made out to be strong and independent initially, needs the help of a guy to protect her and help her get to the bottom of a mystery. Well, at times the female lead came across as having a mind of her own, and at times not, such as when she confesses to the male lead that she didn't really want the cops' help as she wanted to come to him. And, as a reporter, she apparently hadn't been beyond using her feminine wiles and attributes to get close to the male lead - classy and strong, not. Not my kind of female, and it's also not my kind of female who jumps into bed with a guy (there was no passion that I could read, see or sense between them, so no idea why that scene had to take place) and then the morning after wonders if the guy has a lover or girlfriend. Again, classy - not. And, with lines such as, 'She never took a man seriously when he was lying on top of her.'

The male lead was made out to be some tech guru, and yes, I did want this computer program that he'd supposedly developed that had Interpol wanting him to head them up (really?), because it was made out to be the superlative system that could predict and find pretty much any prolific bad guys...hmm. I did get a laugh with the line, right in the midst of danger, 'Then, using the power he'd developed after years of morning jogs, he leaped to the side, taking Carmen with him.' I wish I had special powers after the amount of treadmilling I do, lol!

The book was anticlimactic and the baddie/s were pulled out of nowhere. There was much eye-rolling on my part to believe that without the female lead even having a clue about the thing they feared she was clued up about (sorry for the poor use of English), they concocted a plan to terrorise, capture, torture and kill her. At least, that's what happened to other females in the tale, but what the plan was for the actual lead wasn't actually revealed...Weird that, that no one picked up on that inconsistency, or others such as, 'But she wasn't thirty anymore. Hell she wasn't even fifty (long gap, and then it continues)...She'd come to California forty five years ago, barely seventeen...'

The book isn't great in itself, and the editing doesn't help. In fact, there were several things in this that made the female lead come across as weak and self-serving, as well as immature at times, and the male lead as a bit chauvinistic, so I think that I'll be steering clear of any more from AI.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Kensington Books, for my reading pleasure.

A great new release by AI. I love her paranormal books and she can write romantic romanance just as well. This is part of The Agency series. The release is about Griff and Carmen. Griff is Rylan’s partner and best friend from book one Pretend your Safe.
Carmen wrote a book about serial killers and then she finds herself being taunted by a new killer. She goes to Griff for help and that’s how our h/h begin their journey to solving the case and falling in love. The book is more suspense than romance but its a great read. I liked the mixture because I was so caught up on who the bad guy was. Keeps you guessing to the end. I enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to the next release.

I received ad advanced copy through Netgalley in exchange an honest review.

I recently read Pretend You're Safe, so I was excited to read the next installment of the series. This story centered on Griff (Rylan's business partner from Pretend You're Safe) and Carmen. Carmen is a successful writer who starts receiving gifts from a group of serial killers based on killers from her book. Carmen turns to Griff for help when the local police do not take her seriously. They work together and travel across several states to try to get a step ahead of the killer. Of course of their time together, Griff and Carmen develop a really sweet relationship. Even though there are scenes from the victim and killers' POVs, they aren't incredibly graphic. The book has a nice balance of suspense/thriller and light moments.

I've really liked Alexandra Ivy's couples in this series. The relationship development is a little more realistic than some other books I've read. I also appreciate that her male characters are not controlling alpha-males. Maybe the next book will move on to Nikki at the FBI?

The plot of this story is really interesting. The action is fast-paced, and although I figured out the villains in this one beforehand, I was surprised by the "why." I had enjoyed the first book in this series a lot, and loved Rylan and Jaci in that book, but I had a lot more trouble connecting with Griff and Carmen in this one. Griff's change of heart toward Carmen and then the deep feelings both characters developed toward each other seemed to happen with the flip of a switch, and I struggled to buy into it. I will mention as a disclaimer that I'm battling severe allergies and my head was foggy while reading this one, so that could be a contributing factor. In other words, don't let my disconnect keep you from reading this one. It's a good story, regardless.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I really like this book. Somewhat of a follow up to Pretend You're Safe, it tells the story of Carmen Jacobs and Griffen Archer, the latter one the business partner to the hero in the previous book. I have to say at first I didn't really like Carmen, but once her backstory was explained she grew on me. The whole mystery was pretty easy to figure out, but it was still thrilling and I liked how it unfolded. An easy and enjoyable read.

Just as Carmen Jacobs best seller book abut 5 serial killers is about to come out in paperback she receives pictures of women who appear to be dead. Some of them were used in the trial of the killer called the Trucker, but there are 3 that were not. There is also a mysterious note in the envelope with the pictures. The police are convinced it is a publicity stunt to help with sales of her book. Carmen turns to the one man who wants nothing to do with her, Griffin Archer. It seems someone is copying the serial killers in her book.

There are some very twisted characters in this book and they are obsessed with Carmen. The plot is great with suspense that kept me turning the pages. There was also a romance, but it wasn’t the main focus of the story. The author did a good job of keeping you guessing who the bad guy is, there are plenty of suspects. I guessed part of it but still was fooled by the twist. This is the second book of a series but could be read on its own. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this chilling view of exactly just how twisted killers can be. This story focuses on Carmen, an investigative journalist whose had a book published looking at just why some serial killers do what they do. As she prepares for her book to finally be published in paperback she's completely unaware that someone is plotting to bring the grisly murders from her book to life. A package arrives that has Carmen seeking help but the authorities don't believe her so she seeks help from a tech genius who knows his way around computers. Unfortunately Griffin isn't exactly bowled over by Carmen as she previously misled him but even he starts to realise that someone is obsessed with Carmen and it's apparent that she's in danger !
Ok I'm not going to go into details about the plot because it's very different to other suspense stories I've read and I've no wish to spoil my fellow readers fun. I will say that even though there's a romance happening here it's not glorified or used to titilate but actually just enhances the story that focuses on serial killing. This book all connects back to Carmen and her childhood as a demented killer slowly stalks her but sometimes the enemy is hiding in plain sight. A page turner if ever there was one with twists at the end that made it a very satisfying read.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair