The first book of the Steele Ops team and it was a great way to start a new series.

Meet Knox Steele, a former military man who is trying to stay away from those he loves. But when Zoey Wright, his best friends sister and girl he has known most of his life, becomes involved with a case about a serial murder, Knox can’t stay close enough.

The reader is immersed in their world and taken on their journey. I loved that we not only got to know Knox and Zoey, but also the rest of the Steele/Wright Clan as well. This was a great way to start the series and can’t wait to see what happens next!



**Thank you to net galley and the publisher for providing an ARC**

After a lifetime spent in and out of hospitals, Zoey Wright is tired of playing it safe. She’s ready to take charge of her own life and get out of her comfort zone, starting with a new job as a CSI agent. But when her childhood crush Knox Steele gets pulled onto her case, Zoey needs to put her feelings for him aside or more women will die at the hands of the serial killer preying on her hometown.
Knox is back in town to help his brothers open an elite private security firm.
This book not only has romance but you also are in the mind of a serial killer.
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC.

I have chosen not to give feedback on this title, which is probably pretty obvious as it was released almost 2 years ago.

My apologies for the delay. I don't want to rate/review titles that don't work for me when they are close to release or available on NetGalley, but it seems I forgot to go back and update the DNF status.

As always, I appreciate the opportunity to read and review.

Laura

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book and to be an early reader via NetGalley! However, I will not be writing a review for this title at this time, as my reading preferences have since changed somewhat. In the event that I decide to review the book in the future, I will make sure to purchase a copy for myself or borrow it from a library. Once again, thank you so much for providing me with early access to this title. I truly appreciate it. Please feel free to contact me with any follow-up questions or concerns.

I love romantic suspense so much, and this was a fantastic one, and my first by this author!

Zoey Wright has a congenital heart defect, and it has affected her entire life. From multiple surgeries, and missing important school and group activities, to not being able to participate in sports and PE at school, she always felt like a bit of an outsider. She and her brother Cade were adopted by a single mom when Zoey was about 4 years old. Their mom never thought twice about having a sick kid, and they managed fine, with the help of an anonymous angel paying all the medical bills. Now, Zoey has transitioned to a civilian crime scene investigator, after years of only working in the lab, processing the evidence. D.C. has a serial killer, and they've just found his twelfth victim, which is Zoey's first crime scene. Who should show up but her lifelong crush she hasn't seen in 2 years, her brother's best friend, Knox.

Knox Steele has been away from home for the last 2 years, repairing boats down in North Carolina, while his entire family and everyone else he cares about is back in D.C. He made some mistakes during his last Army tour of duty, and his brothers don't deserve to have someone around who will now always second guess all his own decisions. They're taking his brainchild, a private security firm called Steele Ops, and making it a reality, without him, and he's here to help them get things running, and then leave again for a job in California. Everyone is mad at him for how long he's been gone, and that he's not planning to stay now that he's back. He didn't expect so much of that fire to come from his angel, little Zoey though. She's now healthy and stepping out of the lab, and throwing sass his way he doesn't know how to deal with. But he's afraid she just might be able to convince him to stay after all.

Knox and Zoey had mega feels, and hot chemistry, from the start. They are lifelong friends, and she's always had a thing for him. I LOVE a best friend's little sister story, it's my favorite trope, so mix it with my fave sub-genre, romantic suspense, and I am fully here for it! I loved their interactions and how comfortable they were with each other from the start, even when the feelings started rearranging things.

Both the Steele and Wright families were awesome. I love both of their single moms and how they banded together for each other over the years. They're all so close, like one big family, and I thought that was awesome. Grace, as Zoey's best friend, Knox's cousin, and Cade's childhood sweetheart, had an interesting POV with which to view everything, and give Zoey advice. They had a fantastic connection, and I loved their banter. Cade has always been protective of his baby sister, and can be overbearing, so thinking about Knox and her getting together didn't make him happy, but his heart was always in the right place.

There were many paragraphs here and there throughout the story from the killer's POV, which was so interesting, and made you realize how truly sick and twisted he was. It kept the suspense high, and me on the edge of my seat. It also let the reader know things that were still a mystery to the characters, which was fun. I had 2 suspects in my mind towards the middle of the book, for who I thought the killer might be. Later I had whittled it down to one, and I ended up being correct. The second original suspect I had, ended up being someone wholly unexpected, and I feel like that part of the story was left slightly unfinished. I didn't really understand that character's motives for what they'd done in the past, and I don't think we got a completion to that story. But, Cade will be be the hero of book 2, and I'm assuming his connection to that character will carry over, and perhaps we'll have more about all that in book 2.

Overall this was an exciting suspense story, with plenty of steamy heat and action, and an awesome coming together of two lifelong friends into something so much more. Knox and Zoey really cared so much about each other, in addition to their attraction, and I adored their connection. I really enjoyed the story, and I can't wait for book 2!

Deadly Obsession fits into several tropes that I really enjoy. It’s a brothers best friend romance, and a romantic suspense that features strong themes of family and friendship. The plot and series revolves around the four Steele siblings Knox, Roman, Liam & Ryder, their cousin Grace and childhood neighbors and friends Cade and Zoey.

Knox is a former Army Ranger, who despite the fact he is an alpha is also quite vulnerable, and haunted by the decisions he made in his past. He’s quite sweet and protective especially when it comes to the heroine Zoey.

Zoey has congenital heart disease. After her fifth open heart surgery she’s sick of letting life pass her by and is determined to gain her independence, and live life to the fullest much to the disgust of her older over protective brother Cade. With a new job and new outlook on life she’s drive, and much stronger than she appears.

Having a child with CHD I connected with Zoey’s character, and found her story to be quite relatable and realistic.

The series has a lot of potential, I thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter between the characters. There’s a lot happening in the story line and some points weren’t fully explored and I hope more will be revealed regarding Knox’s past in future additions to the series.

I was quite intrigued by the chapters that were told from the point of view of the serial killer, who has Zoey firmly set in his sights.

April Hunt could open a male-order catalogue just by the heroes on the covers of her books. Imagine if any of those dudes from the Alpha Security or Steele Ops series actually delivered the books to your doorstop? Sigh. DEADLY OBSESSION kicks off the new Steele Ops series with a bang, and one of my favorite tropes: best friend’s younger sister. Having grown up the only child of an only child, and having only had one child myself, I’m fascinated by the idea of an older brother being protective. I should say I’m also fascinated by the idea of walking into an elite private security firm because I’m a badass CSI agent, but that’s about as likely to happen as waking up one day with an older brother. LOL. Zoey Wright is a very compelling character. Not only did she grow up crushing heavily on Knox Steele, she is a fighter. Born with a heart defect and enduring numerous major surgeries, adult Zoey has overcome so much to become a CSI agent. But when Knox walks up on her first murder scene—during what is part of a serial killer investigation—he definitely sees the woman she’s become. The stakes are high, emotions boiling over, and romance incredibly satisfying.

*Originally published at Frolic: https://frolic.media/spring-romantic-suspense-round-up/

I really enjoyed this story and the unique twist on who the bad guy was - because I didn't see that coming at all!

My only gripe is that we never really found out what happened that led Knox to disappearing for two years. All was said was that he made bad decisions that cost lives. But what was the decision? How many lives were lost? What happened? All those questions were never answered.

I also found one part near the end to be rather disappointing. When the nurse said...oh your friend who was here last time... I wanted more of a surprise and shock from Zoey, but she barely seemed surprised at all yet we were never given clues that she suspected it earlier.

I also would have liked to read more about their family's reactions to Zoey and Knox being together. But we were only given his brother's feelings on it.

That said, I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Something is definitely up between Cade and Grace!

** ARC received from Netgalley **

Zoey Wright has taken charge of her life. Born with a serious heart defect, and having gone through several major surgeries, she has just begun a new job as a CSI agent. In her current case, she is more than a bit nonplussed when someone she had a serious crush on when she was younger is pulled into it. Zoey must fight her feelings for Knox Steele and focus on the fact that a serial killer seems determined to kill as many women as possible.

Knox is in town because he and his brothers are intent on opening an elite private security firm. When he happens upon a crime scene, he is rather disturbed to see that his best friend's little sister is working the case. Well, she is not so little any longer, and Knox must fight his growing attraction to her. As much as this fight is intense, a bigger fight soon presents itself when it seems that Zoey herself might actually become a victim. So, Knox and Zoey end up together - in more ways than one.

While the romance is developing and the search for the killer ensues, readers are introduced to the other members of the Steele and Wright families. This no doubt sets the reader up for future books in this new series by April Hunt. I am thrilled that I got to read it and am eager to continue with this series. If you enjoy intrigue, romance and family, then you will be glad to read this book. I found it to be quite intense and pretty much read this book in one sitting.

Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow! Wow! Wow! what a great story. The story takes off running from the moment Zoey Wright is in the field at the scene of the first murder and looks up to see her old flame Knox Steele. As the killer escalates and Zoey's friends and family try to keep her safe the chemistry and action is off the charts. I just couldn't turn pages fast enough to see what's next.
The end though was what really rocked my socks. The killer's justifications for the murders and his fascination with Zoey? Wow!
In case you're wondering I have not overused Wow!. I can't wait to see the rest of the Steele brothers get their comeuppance in future novels to come.

Zoey has been in and out of surgeries and having issues in the past and has always played it safe. Now she's working on a case instead of being the guy behind the scenes of a case working now as a CSI Agent. Unfortunately for her Former Army Ranger Knox Steele is back ground a guy she used to have a crush on in the past comes across her while she's working a crime scene. Together they work on solving the case that seems to be getting strangely close to her.

Love a good romantic suspense book. I loved how this book played out. I loved getting to konw the characters and seeing Zoey getting out that shell she was caught in, she played it safe for so long because of her heart condition and is out there doing her thing working on the case. There was plenty going on to keep things interesting with her job, the romance between Knox and Zoey, the family life and drama, and the case that they were working on. I loved that there was little snippets here and there from the perspective of the killer which made the book all the more interesting. Overall it was a pretty great mystery suspense novel, I really enjoyed it.

Steele Ops #1, This was a great book I loved the characters and the story, it is a great start to a new series. Zoey Wright has CHD (Congenital Heart Defect) it doesn't make her weak it just makes her all that much more of a bad ass. Zoey has been protected her whole life by her adoptive mother and her brother, Cade. Working in the crime lab was not getting her anywhere so she transferred to crime scene tech. Knox Steele finally left the Army Rangers but instead of going home and working with his brother start up their private security firm he decides he going to go to be a Hollywood bodyguard. Despite not wanting to come home he gets pulled home and his first night back he stumbles across a dead body, unfortunately this is not the first one DC has seen like this, the news has already dubbed the killer a catchy name and Zoey fits the type the killer likes. Cade and Knox try and get Zoey to back off but she just digs her heels in, she can help catch this killer even if all she does is collect evidence.

Meanwhile Zoey and Knox try not to give into temptation. Zoey has had a crush on Know for just about forever and Knox has tried to keep his distance but once he realizes Zoey isn't safe he's going to protect her not matter what she says. But being so close to her makes it hard to resist her and before you know it they give in and fall into bed. The killer has an obsession and when he finds out his obsession is with someone else he loses it and any semblance of control he had is gone. That just makes it easier for Cade, the DCPD and Knox to find him or will they be too late?

Overall, this was a great read. Knox has issues with guilt he has to work out with his brothers and that was a nice side story to help with character development and establish what kind of people his brothers are, I look forward to their books. Cade really comes off as an overprotective ass and he has this on again off again going with a Steele cousin and best friend to Zoey, Grace, who is FBI profiler; I hope their story is next. I love April Hunt's writing it's descriptive and has a great third person narrative.

april hunt kicks off a new suspense series with deadly obsession. the steele ops team is comprised of four brothers and this story begins with knox's return after a two-year absence. it's not a quiet, calm arrival. everyone is kind of mad at him, even though he has his reasons for staying away. i'm not saying they're good reasons, but also i just don't understand the kind of family dynamics at play here because mine are not like these and the level of butthurt is intense for what is happening, but nevermind, because there is an actual serial killer on the loose.

and even worse this killer appears to be targeting zoey wright, and on top of that instead of her safe job in the crime lab she's out in the streets doing crime scene investigative work. just because she's decided to put herself in harm's way doesn't mean that knox will let anything happen to her.

and his protectiveness can be explained by the fact that she's his best friend's younger sister. and also she has a congenital heart defect that has resulted in many a health scare and five open heart surgeries. so like him wanting her to stay alive makes sense. many people have worked hard for her to be alive. but she's not wrong in wanting to enjoy and live her life too. she can't be wrapped in bubble wrap her whole life. she needs to feel and experience things.

and knox has always been the one person she wants to do everything with. their chemistry is hot, and the suspense is kicking. this was a fun, fast-paced read.

**deadly obsession will publish on april 30, 2019. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/grand central publishing (forever) in exchange for my honest review.

Deadly Obsession by April Hunt is the First book in the Steele Ops Series. This is the story of Zoey Wright and Knox Steele.
Knox left town a few years back to make a life for himself. Now he is back at home being pressured to take part in the the family's Security Firm. Unsure if he is going to stay or take another job miles away is up in the air for him. One thing that is making decisions hard is his best friends sister, Zoey. Zoey is always had to forget but when he finds her in the middle of searching for serial killer it makes him very protective of her. Zoey has always been protected all her life but has not taken to stepping out of the protective bubble to put her wishes first. Which is being a new CSI agent on the hunt to find a killer which is also putting her to be working closely with Knox.
Exciting Read!!

Deadly Obsession is a great start to a new series from this author! While the tropes covered in this book are familiar, the heroine Zoey is a little bit unique in my opinion. She was born with a congenital heart defect that has resulted in five different surgeries over the course of her life, and the most recent one last year led her to make a promise to herself: to start living more and take the safe path less.

Of course that decision does not sit well with uber-overprotective big brother Cade, but Zoey has determination and spirit to spare and she will not allow him to make all the decisions in her life anymore. That includes the decision to take a new job that moves her out of the safety of the crime lab and into the field as a crime scene investigator- which she fails to tell Cade about until he arrives on scene to find her there documenting a serial killer's most recent victim. To add to her stress level, her childhood crush/ brother's best friend Knox Steele makes a reappearance in DC at her crime scene.

The Steele family lived across the street from Zoey and Cade's foster mother, and they are really just one big extended family. The author lays the foundation for this series by introducing us to all 4 Steele brothers as well as Steele cousin Grace who is also Zoey's best friend and Cade's ex (oh my, there are major unresolved issues there!). Everyone involved has a special skill set of some sort: the brothers are all veterans of different branches of the armed services, Grace is an FBI profiler, Cade is a police detective who served in the Rangers with Knox, and we already covered Zoey.

Knox's return after a 2 year absence is met with animosity from his brothers. Yes, Steele Ops was his idea. Yes, he stayed away for a few years. Maybe it's because I am an only child, but the drama associated with Knox's return felt a bit overdone to me. Cue the "will he stay or won't he" moments here. Of course he has always had a soft spot for Zoey, and seeing her now does nothing to help make his decision easier. He carries guilt for mistakes of the past and he doesn't believe he is good enough for someone like her. When it becomes clear the serial killer's focus turns to Zoey, he will have to make a choice.

Knox and Zoey have great chemistry, and I love her feisty spirit. Knox is a great mix of alpha protector and supporter as he tries to balance his need to keep her safe with her need to take charge of her own life where she can. I think mystery lovers will be able to pick out the killer's identity fairly easily but it was still fun watching it happen! Deadly Obsession was a quick and entertaining read, and I am hoping that Cade and Grace are next up on the list for this series.

I really enjoyed this book.

Sometimes Romantic Suspense is a letdown for me but in Deadly Obsession we are given a super creepy bad guy, a down to earth heroine, a grumpy good guy, and the complex family that surrounds them. I definitely look forward to reading more in this series and by this author.

Knox Steele is back home after staying away for so long and he’s determined not to stick around, but only one person can throw a wrench in his plans – Zoey Wright- and now that it’s obvious that someone dangerous is fixated on her, he’s determined to make sure that she is safe before he leaves.

Zoey is fighting for normalcy after a lifetime of being sick and while her bid for independence is understandable, the over-protectiveness of her brother and the Steele boys is also something a reader can empathize with. In fact, my favorite thing about this book is that even though Zoey is cleared cherished by her brother and the Steele boys, they still give her room to explore what and how she wants but are ready to step in and protect her if needed.

This book is literally the best thing I’ve read all year and it’s not even close. Ms. Hunt combined a number of tropes – best friend’s younger sister, ex-military black ops, security firm, stalker – but somehow it worked, and the creepy factor was especially through the roof.

Knox’s rationale for staying away from his family could have been explored a little deeper than was done, but it did not really impact the overall story in my opinion. The story was straightforward, and the stalker was easy to guess, but I think it served to draw me into the story and it was like screaming at the TV when characters cannot see the danger lurking, but you can.

First books in a series can be a hit or miss since there is a heavy focus on building the series up, but this was a hit in every way and Zoey and Knox’s storyline did not suffer at all while the author was laying the foundation for the series. If anything, I’m counting down the days to the next book in the series and I’ve been inspired to go back and re-read the author’s back list.

Why haven’t I been reading romantic suspense before?? When asked my favorite genre - I always say a tie between mystery/thriller and romance. This is the genre that combines the two!!

Deadly Obsession was a great place for me to start with the genre. Zoey is a new CSI tech who is on the task force to find DC’s serial killer. At the same time, Zoey’s brother’s best friend is back in town after being gone for years. His name is Knox Steele - is that the best romance hero name or what?!?

There were a few things that required a healthy suspension of disbelief - but I was along for the ride. It seemed like a great mix of romance and suspense. A couple parts got creepy enough that I couldn’t read it right before bed. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is available now!

A wonderful start to the Steele Ops series! One of the best romantic suspense stories I've read this year. I enjoy this time the author took to develop each character and prepare you for the series. The chemistry between Zoey and Knox is off the charts, and I love that she doesn't put up with any of his crap. A mystery with romance on the side, with a sassy female lead character...sold!

**3.5 Stars**

Romantic suspense is one of my recent favorite subgenres. Since it’s a newer fave, I am always on the hunt for new-to-me authors and series to fall in love with. DEADLY OBSESSION fit the bill, the first book in a new series about two families starting an elite private security firm. This story follows CSI agent Zoey and former Army Ranger Knox Steele, her childhood crush. Bonus, the book is set in Washington, D.C., where I live, so I enjoyed a little taste of home while reading.

The pros: I really enjoyed the banter and seemingly effortless world building in this book. The romance was definitely front and center, and the yearning between the main characters was giving me life. Zoey and Knox have a lot of family and friends who seem like they’ll all get their own books (fingers crosses) but the introduction of each character was easy to follow along with and the characterization was strong for each of them.

I also loved the addition of Zoey’s congenital heart defect. From the author’s note, I could tell that Ms. Hunt was exceptionally well educated on the subject. She pulled off the difficult task of making a serious medical issue an interesting part of the plot and Zoey’s character without weighing down the story.

The cons: While I thought the suspense plot was well done, I was a little disappointed in the early heavy-handed hints about who the killer was. I enjoyed the book a lot more when I was still guessing. I also thought the crime scene protocol/Knox’s ability to just jump into a police investigation was a little ridiculous. I tried to suspend my disbelief because it is fiction, but there were a few times I rolled my eyes.

Overall, this was a solid start to what will hopefully be a fun new series. I really like Ms. Hunt’s voice as an author and I think it will only get better from here! You know I am hoping the broody brother gets a book next.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**