I have, obviously, chosen not to finish this title and review it. I was not able to connect with the characters.

I apologize for the lateness of this review, I was gong through notes and making sure all had been updated and found some really old DNF titles that needed to be at least acknowledged.

Thank you, albeit very late, for the opportunity to read and review this title.

This is the first book in the Federal K-9 series.

This book follows CIA analyst Trista Gold and CIA K-officer Matt Connors, along with his K-9 partner, Sheba. Trista seems to have stumbled into some trouble. Matt rescues her when someone tries to kidnap her, but he doesn't feel as if she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He thinks that the person was there for her, They have to work together to find out what is going on and they have to do it quickly.

I thought that the book and characters were well written. It was suspenseful, but also had some comedic relief. I also liked how Sheba and Poofy (Trista's cat) both had their parts to play and that both had some personality.

In the book, you get to meet some of Matt's friends who will be the leads in the next books as they come.

Title: Lock "N"Load

Series:Federal K-9 #1

Note : Thank you can read them as stand alones

Author: Tee O'Fallon

Genre: Romance

Pages:403

book synopsis

Crack CIA analyst Trista Gold is a whiz with the computer, but not so much with people. She hides behind her job, analyzing Top Secret code and making recommendations on national security. She doesn’t need a man in her life. But she will, very soon...

CIA K-9 officer Sgt. Matt Connors suspects that beneath Trista’s uptight appearance, there’s a sexy woman itching to cut loose. But he doesn’t dare act on his attraction. He’s a loner and always will be. Keeping away from Trista is a must-do directive. Until he doesn’t have a choice...

During a routine assignment, Trista stumbles across a cryptic exchange. She doesn’t think much of it...until someone tries to murder her—twice. Both times, Matt had been there to save her. But now she has to hide. And her new bodyguard, Matt, and his K-9 are the only hope she has against the powerful forces that want her dead.



My thoughts

Would I recommend this series? yes

Would I read more by her? yes

Its funny and an easy read to get lost in , and the I just loved the two main characters , there was times I was just laughing my head off at what Trista was saying , and how she acted around Matt. I loved the slow romance that happened between the two of them , and how Matt's friends could see it but he couldn't . With that said I want to thank Netgalley for letting me read and review it exchange for my honest opinion

Somehow this book has been on my reader for some time now and I missed it... Unbelievable but what a pleasant surprise now, when I stumbled upon it and was drawn in from the first page on.
I have soft spot for all books K9 related because...well, I love the action and I love dogs and I love well-written romantic suspense and this book has it all in abundance! What a ride it was!

Computer-genius Trista's life is about to be turned upside down when a couple of spies and agents are out, trying to kill her and she has to rely on a K9 -Officer and his partner to keep her safe. And she definitely is no dog person, really, she is much more of a cat person but with everything that's going down, this might be the least of her worries ...
Matt has his hands full trying to keep his little genius safe because petite she may be but she is not the type to give in and wait for things to happen. Nope, Definitely not. She is more of a hands-on-go-for-it kind of woman, no matter what the risk.
Apart from this whole thing with agents and spies and so on trying to kill the woman he has fallen for (hard), Matt also has some demons of his own to fight. Sometimes even the strongest might need some help - and when the price is the woman you love, well, this is something worth fighting for, right?

Captivating, full of action with many twists and turns, this is another amazing book by Tee O'Fallon!

A suspenseful romance filled with intrigue, yet also with heartwarming moments that nearly take your breath away. With a plethora of chemistry between them, Matt and Trista work in synch breaking through government secrets and coverups. The action is superb, drawing through the story in layers of personalities vying for answers and control. This is one story that is hard to put down.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

I tried reading this book a few times but the prequel turned me off and I never made it to the first chapter. I wanted something a little edgy to read today so I thought I would try this book again, and it took a while for the pieces to make sense but once everything fell into place it was quite an exciting read. The overall complexities of the plot line was fascinating and really keeps the reader engaged throughout the book. There is plenty of heat between Matt and Trista. Matt has some serious guilt issues to work through over his friends death. I love the K-9’s in this book , Sheba was such a great character. I love all of Matt’s friends and how easily they became friends with Trista. Overall, this was a good book.

This is the third novel I've read by Tee O'Fallon, and it's the first book in her Federal K-9 series, and although I'm a cat person, I've recently been reading quite a few books featuring canine characters and have developed quite a liking for them, and this novel was no exception, and it gets a 5-star rating from this reader.

Matt Connors is the sexy, tall, handsome hunk in this novel. He's a police sergeant and he and his K-9 companion work at CIA headquarters, checking ID's at the entrance, which is where he first spots the heroine, Trista Gold, one of the CIA's top computer analysts, a small, shy, computer geek, whose whole life is her work and her cat, Poofy (a really bad choice of cat names for a grown woman to choose). She doesn't date, doesn't flirt and has never had a real relationship with a man. Matt notices her almost immediately and manages to see beyond her thick trifocals and drab gray attire to the pretty woman beneath the camouflage. As she approaches Matt's station with her ID, she notices his dog, and due to a bad experience when she was 6 years old, has been terrified of dogs ever since. She ends up having a panic attack and Matt manages to get her through it, which is how they meet. Trista is so socially inept that no sooner does she see Matt when she can't take her eyes off of him, and, when he speaks to her she starts stammering uncontrollably.

Trista is brilliant with computers, and she's exceptional at spotting and breaking codes and ciphers, and her CIA job allows her to search for spies and terrorists, hiding and operating in the many secret chat rooms on the dark web. She doesn't interact with them, but a program she wrote allows her to remain invisible to them while she lurks and listens. One day, Trista ends up overhearing part of a conversation in a chat room between two men, one of whom she believes is a spy, but there's a small computer glitch, and although it only lasts for seconds, it's enough for them to "see" her, and late that very night, as Trista is leaving work and heading to a local eatery for dinner, she's grabbed from behind and hauled off into the woods with a knife at her throat. Luckily, Matt was headed to the same eatery, and he and his K-9 manage to rescue her, although her attacker gets away. And that's just the beginning of her troubles and the dangers ahead.

What follows is a tense, intricate and engrossing web of treachery and secrecy, with Trista at the center of it all. There's also a mysterious 40-year old murder that manages to tie itself into the present day action. And there's also the growing intimacy and attraction between Matt and Trista, but Matt is troubled too. At age 16, he and his best friend got drunk and were goofing around when something happened (no spoilers from me) and his friend died. Matt has blamed himself ever since, and internalized the event to such a degree that he won't allow himself to be happy, or to have a lasting relationship. His only relationship is with the K-9 dogs he trains, and the creation of Jerry's Place, where troubled teens can learn and heal through their relationship with and training of K-9 dogs. But Trista manages to somehow get past Matt's emotional barriers, and Matt manages to get her used to being around his dogs. All this, while Trista is supposed to be keeping a low profile and staying hidden for her own protection.

I truly liked both of the main characters in this novel, who each had their own flaws and issues, and who somehow helped each other try to get past them. To have managed to fully develop these characters in the midst of the dangers they faced was no small accomplishment, and it made for an exceptionally good, tense, emotional and addictive read--one I highly recommend.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest
The characters + storytelling were very captivating
Trista stumble onto something that she should not have.
Now, she is in danger.
Matt will keep Trista save at all cost.
Now both have to work together to uncover who is trying to kill her.
The storytelling + the character's build were awesome!
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!

I loved Matt but I have to admit I'm not excited about Trista. I think she could have been a lot better but there was so many things about her that bugged me. Overall, it was only an okay read.

I enjoyed this romantic suspense but there is too much cursing for my tastes.

Trista is a crack CIA analyst who is sorely lacking in self-confidence and social skills. Presumably she was a computer nerd through her growing years and never met a boy or man to show her the world beyond computer code. Then she meets CIA K-9 officer Matt Connors. He is a hunk, of course, and Trista is flabbergasted to be saved by him --- twice in one day! He is so kind to her, but she knows a man like him couldn’t be interested in a geek like her. And it doesn’t help that she has been frightened of dogs since a bad encounter as a child.

Matt has always been able to get any woman he wants but he makes it clear there will be nothing beyond a good time. He has a guilt-ridden soul that tells him he doesn’t deserve love or happiness. He sees beyond the geeky Trista to the beautiful woman behind the mousy clothes. He is glad to help her and hopes to show her she is more than a computer nerd, but he can’t allow himself to respond to the pull of attraction and longing for something more that he feels when he looks at or thinks of her.

Trista has uncovered a suspicious, mysterious and threatening chat but her identity was exposed by a few minutes of computer breakdown. She doesn’t want to think the night time attack on her has anything to do with what she saw but a second attack on her life convinces everyone else around her that her life is in danger. Security assigns Matt to be her body guard so the pair are reluctantly thrown together.

Matt takes her to the safest place he knows – his own home where a handful of his old training buddies are visiting. Each one is a man-worthy canine officer within different branches of enforcement. Their attentions help Trista to come out of her shell while raising the jealous nerves for Matt. But he has to concentrate on keeping her safe before he can face his own demons to try to be the man she challenges him to be.

I did like the chemistry between Trista and Matt even though I couldn't relate too well to Trista's rather wimpy character. Fortunately she grows through the danger. And of course, I love the canine element although it is secondary to the romantic suspense. I also enjoyed the banter of the hunky friends. I imagine there could be great romantic suspense stories for each friend. The suspense, danger and action are all laid out well to keep the book moving along at a good pace. The sexual encounters are an addition, not the focus, and they are sizzling without being crass. The romance has conflicts that provide for realistic growth for both characters.

My only objection with the book is the free and liberal use of foul words. Sadly, that distracts and detracts from my enjoyment of the story. I acknowledge I am sensitive to foul language – I don’t use it and don’t like it. I’ll accept a little but not continuous through the book. If the series came with an edited version I would read every one. Otherwise I will most likely pass for other less vulgar works. I recommend this to readers who enjoy strong romantic suspense with all the good elements: romance, suspense and action. Just be cautioned about the language.

I received this title through NetGalley.

This was a good read!! I've read a few books in this series but not all of them. I definitely need go back and read them although you don't need to they can all be read as standalone, this book is Trista and Matt book, trista is a cia analysts agent and Matt is a cia k-9 officer. Trista is a bit of a straight laced uptight agent but Matt knows deep down she s just dying to let loose!! But Matt is a loner so he keeps away! On assignment trusts stumbled on a weird exchange doesn't think to much about it until someone tries to kill her!! Twice!! Both times Matt was there to save the day!! It's definitely a high paced action packed read!! There's some good steam some funny moments just a great story!! Definitely don't miss out on this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

If you haven’t guessed, I added this to my TBR because of the K9 on the cover. I am a sucker for dog books, and I love K9 stories. I have mixed success with suspense in general, but I still want to read every book with police or military dogs. This was a successful read, despite some problems with the heroine.

Trista is a analytical whiz, and she works for the CIA. A genius with computers and data, she has been following a Russian spy around the dark web for months. When a power glitch blows her cover, she suddenly finds herself the victim of two unsuccessful murder attempts. After her house is set on fire, with her in it, she is forced into protective custody, against her wishes.

Sgt Matt Connors works for the CIA in the K9 division. Thanks to his timely appearances, he manages to save Trista from certain death, with the help of his Belgian Shepherd, Sheba. When Matt is ordered to take Trista and hide, he takes her to his compound, which he hopes to one day turn into a rehab center for troubled youth and homeless dogs. With his buddies in town to work during the upcoming election, he is certain that Trista will be protected while in his care.

Well, she would have been if she had just followed the rules, but, the heck, this is romantic suspense, so Trista has to put herself in danger. That particular character flaw was annoying. I just don’t get it. If you have almost been murdered two times, I’d think you would keep your head down for a bit. But no, Trista continues her top secret computer surveillance, on Matt’s unsecured computer, and just gets herself into more trouble. Whelp, go figure.

The other thing that irked was Trista’s fear of dogs. I guess I get it, but I can’t comprehend being that fearful of a canine, especially one that is as well trained as Sheba. She’s a CIA employee, for goodness sake! Trista finds herself in her worst nightmare, since all of Matt’s friends are also K9 officers for various governmental agencies, so she is surrounded by dogs. And hot men. And I want to read more about the hot men. And their dogs.

The last half of the book was absolutely a page turner, and I could not put my iPad down. The big mystery and the resolution were well done, and despite Trista’s lack of self-preservation, I enjoyed Lock ‘N’ Load, and I am dying to know who the hero will be for the next book in the series.

Grade: 4 stars

There were things I liked and disliked about this book. The romance was too insta-love for me and Trista’s constant “a guy like him would never go for me” really got old as did Matt’s hot/cold “I’m not good enough” act. The mystery/suspense part I enjoyed as well as the side characters, but I could have done without the cynophobia part b/c the “incident” that created it was pretty minor and it only took Tris 10 min of Matt coaching her for her to get over a lifelong fear.

I received this ARC from netgalley voluntarily. This book had it all suspense, mystery, love to make such a great story. It was action packed and kept you turning the pages. I can’t wait for this series to continue.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

This is the first book of Ms. O'Fallon that I have read. I was blown away with the quality. It was outstanding. I was enthralled in the action. It played out like being in the movies. The characters were so believable in their actions; so life-like. I loved the growth that Trista developed over time. The heart-break that Matt experienced in his teens that developed him into a man that didn't think he was worth loving and being loved was gut-wrenching. I was glued to my e-reader and hated to put it down for anything.

I have my fingers crossed that the other K-9 officers introduced in this book receive their own stories. I highly recommend.

Overall the story was quite interesting. Good writing. The plot was developed rather well. Did enjoy the romance.

A sweet emotional love story full of suspense and mystery. Trista is shy awkward analysis at the CIA, Matt is a part of security there. After the first time they meet in an awkward situation it seems that Matt and Trista are destined to come together. Matt saves Trista's life more than once and after her house is destroyed because of the seriousness of the situation Matt is set to be Trista personal bodyguard. For Trista is that very hard because she is scared of the dogs, awkward when she is around Matt and her life is at risk. A lovely funny story, with great characters, great plot. Both Trista and Matt well developed likable. Matt has some deep scars from the past and because of Trista, he is the first time in his life, strong enough to process all the baggage. And Matt helps Trista to embrace her beauty and kindness. Really likable read.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly.

I received an arc from Netgalley. I loved this book right from the start. Trista and Matt literally collide in the beginning at the CIA headquarters and from then on they fall hard for each other.

While there are Russians spy’s after Trista for what she knows , Matt is there to make sure nothing happens to her. The Russians get a little too close to keeping Trista out of their business for good but Matt and his K-9 Sheba come to the rescue.

Great read and an author I will definitely read again.

Sometimes something happens in a book that completely has you losing faith in a main character's intelligence, basically ruining the entire book. This is what happened here within the first 6%.

Now this book could certainly have redeemed itself immediately and ended up being a great read. Others have given it great reviews. I'll never know since I couldn't get past that first part.

A brilliant book I loved this I did cry and laugh it was intriguing and I didn't want it to end I really enjoyed it