It almost read like a middle schooler's secret fantasy. The handsome, rich MMC who makes it his life mission to protect the FMC, and the FMC who is a complete damsel in distress with a traumatic past.
The characters were too generic to be considered deep, they were so cliche and two-dimensional.
The storyline was extremely weak, it was a repetitive sequence of them being intimate, then chickening out because of their feelings, then the constant threats of the FMC's stalker.
Many details were missing, making the book unrealistic, and hard to get into even considering the book being a novel.
I didn't enjoy it.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Apologies for the late response on this title, and apologies for clogging up an inbox on old titles.

While I am aware it's obvious, I have chosen not to read/review this title.

As always, I appreciate access to titles and look forward to the next one...which I have likely already read based on how long ago this title was published.

Thanks, again.

.
.

.
.
.
.

.
..
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
..
.
.

..
.

..

.
.
.
..
.

.
.
.
.
.

I am convinced Nancy Herkness can’t write a bad book!! I mean, I just can’t ever get enough of her characters and their stories. They always get me right in the feels. I loved the entire story and couldn't put it down. This was a big yes...yes....yes!!! It's an incredibly entertaining read, so go grab glass of your favourite cold beverage, some snacks because you're going to need them as you won’t be able to put this book down for anything. Happy reading everyone

The 3rd in series of the Consultants by Nancy Herkness has the reader embroiled in danger, new beginnings , and romance with Natalie and Tully.
Ebook from Netgalley and publishers with thanks . Opinions are entirely my own. Purchased own copy.

I really enjoyed The Hacker (Read My Review) - so when the next instalment came up for review on Netgalley, I knew I had to request it.
And while I enjoyed The Agent, The Hacker was a far better read for me!

Natalie is a strong independent woman, who helps out abused women find a new start in their lives. While satisfying work, it’s still dangerous and she knows it too when she finds herself being stalked.

Tully, the ex-FBI agent is the perfect man for the job of protecting Natalie. The fact that he is insanely attracted to her, is just the icing on the cake for him.

Both having been hurt in the past, makes them wary of having to act on their attraction to each other. But they can’t resist each other for long; not that they actually wanted to.

I enjoyed Natalie and Tilly’s interaction far more than the actual mystery of the stalker in the plot. I’m fact, if it hadn’t been for my investment in their relationship, the plot would have been a bit boring for me.

I would, however recommend that you read the whole series together; you would find far more enjoyment, when read all the three books together.

First time reading this author, and yes i am reading her books out of order for this series. However, this did not dimisih the amount of joy i got from reading The Agent. I was desperate for a romantic thriller and I have found them so hard to find, but this book was excellent. Brilliant tension both in the story and romantic, plenty of surprises and heat and I loveed it. Now to go back and read the other storeis in the series. 2020 and 2021 made me lose my reading mojo, but this book was one of the few I have completed and really enjoyed, so big thumbs up and recommendation from me.

I liked the premise but it wasn't able to grab my attention. At times I was bored and speed reading to finish. I felt as if some of the dialogue was too bland and routine.

I received an ARC for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Tully Gibson and his two partners own KRG, a highly successful consulting company and he is the security expert, having spent years with the FBI. Natalie Hart owns a salon, escaped an abusive marriage and aids other abuse victims with a haven for them to stay. Her customers trust her and know that she will give them every bit of help that she can. Natalie's been receiving some troubling texts of a disturbing nature and decides it's time to call Tully. Once he inspects her home and realizes that she's left herself vulnerable, he won't stop until he feels she is safe. In no time, he installs a security system that would rival that of the FBI itself. He is more than attracted to Natalie, and has been for a long time, but she hasn't given him any indication that she feels the same. A special look, every once in a while, and a romantic dance at their friends' wedding, has them feeling that there might be something between them. Natalie is still stinging from that horrible marriage and has been clear that she's never going to marry again, but as the threatening notes increase in frequency and hostility, their concern about crossing that line disappears. Natalie and Tully fit perfectly together and it takes time to realize that they are the other's missing piece. The mystery is not immediately obvious and the clues are revealed slowly. Does it have something to do with the haven she provides for abused wives or is it her ex, seeking revenge for some reason. The story is nicely paced from start to finish and the characters are unique and relatable, adding to the enjoyment of the book.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

In ‘The Agent’ we meet Natalie and Tully. Both come with a lot of baggage, and they both are definitely not looking for a relationship or marriage. But from the moment Natalie and Tully start hanging out more, due to a mutual friend’s wedding, they can’t deny the chemistry between them. And when Natalie confides in Tully, about the strange emails she is receiving, Tully is determined to keep Natalie safe.

‘The Agent’ was definitely an interesting, fun and suspenseful read. It wasn’t a slow starting story. Right from the first page we are in the middle of the story. And I enjoyed that. The suspense kept me guessing and wondering right until the end. There’s just something about a stalker situation, that I always find so creepy. And in this story it was nothing different. It definitely kept me sitting on the edge of my seat.

The romance between Natalie and Tully was also fun, but it also didn’t really make me swoon. Both Natalie and Tully’s characters are fun to get to know, but there was something about them that made me like them.. but not love them. Not really sure what it was to be honest. The chemistry between them was just not something I could really feel.

Overall, ‘The Agent’ was a fun read.

THE AGENT is the third and last book in THE CONSULTANTS series and while a nice conclusion to the series, I’d love to meet up with them again. This is Natalie and Tully’s story. He’s the third partner in KRG Consultants with his best friends, Derek and Leland. They each have a specialty in their firm. Tully’s is security. It’s a good thing too since Natalie’s got a stalker on her hands and Tully’s just the man to get to the bottom of it and protect her at the same time.

There’s a mixture of romance and suspense as we meet up with characters we’ve met before and new ones who add an additional dimension to the story. Tully and Natalie are fine being single—or so they say. Tully comes from a dysfunctional family, and Natalie was previously married to a verbal and psychological abuser. She’s stronger now, owning her own business, helping others, and being there for her best friends (both whom have found love with Tully’s partners.) There are twists and turns to the story along with an evil undertone. There’s a satisfying romance and growth between the characters as they learn to communicate with each other.

I love that the backdrops of the story are set in New York City and New Jersey. There’s a nice flow to the story and clues left throughout. The happily-ever-after is wonderful and romantic as portrayed in the epilogue, which takes place ten months later but left me wanting more. It gave me some of the closure I look for when reading.

Ms. Herkness is an author whose writing style I enjoy. I have more of her books on my TBR pile. I look forward to seeing what’s next on her writing agenda. Give her books a try if you haven’t already!

I rated the book 4.5 stars but rounded to 5 stars here and on other sites.

The Agent, third book in The Consultant series, is a suspenseful romance novel centering around Natalie Hart, a divorced hairdresser, and Tully Gibson, an ex-FBI security expert. Both had an instant chemistry towards the other, wrestling with their emotions and growing feelings for one another, while dealing with Natalie's stalker. I am going to be honest, it was rather easy to figure out who was doing the stalking in this story but it didn't really deter from the level of enjoyment I had while reading this book. In the end, it was an overall alright book to read.

eARC was kindly provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Natalie has left her abusive marriage in her past and has created a new life for herself, but she is cautious about those she allows close to her. She may be attracted to Tully, but she isn’t about to let any man close enough to hurt her again however fate and their friends seem to keep throwing them together.

Tully has transitioned from his career in the FBI to KRG Consulting. When he and Natalie find themselves spending time together due to their friends wedding, he finds out that Natalie has attracted the attention of the wrong person. This revelation not only makes him determined to keep her safe but she has him rethinking his stance on love and relationships.

If Tully and Natalie are to have a future together they must not only deal with the danger in the present but heal from the past as well. Romance and intrigue combine as we not only get to see the relationship between Tully and Natalie develop but catch up with all the other characters in this series as well.

I really enjoyed this book! I like Nancy Herkness's writing style a lot. I cannot wait for the next in this series.

What a great story! Nancy Herkness gives us a little bit everything in the latest installment of The Consultants series. It has romance, intrigue and great characters especially the leads Natalie and Tully.

Natalie and Tully's best friends are getting married and they are thrust together as a bridesmaid and best man, forced to spend time together they have a spark that neither can deny but both don't want to acknowledge. When Natalie starts to receive unwanted messages from a stalker she knows Tully a former FBI agent can help her. As things start to escalate in both the bedroom and threatening her life the attraction and feelings they have become more and more real.

I absolutely love this series and this book. It is a stand alone so you don't need to read the previous books to follow this story but trustmeits worth it.

Excellent read

The Agent was a fun, sexy exciting read. Great characters and a quick pace made this a very enjoyable book. I highly recommend it to everyone.

Thrown together at their best friends' wedding, Natalie and Tully are a little reluctant to give in to their friends' matchmaking attempts. After all, Natalie has sworn off romance forever after escaping an emotionally abusive husband. As for Tully, as a former FBI agent turned security consultant, his life is top heavy with risk. Too much risk to bring a wife and kids into the mix.

But when it comes to light that Natalie is being stalked by an unknown person, Tully is on the case. Sparks fly as protector and protectee discover that not only are they in danger from this unknown stalker. They're also in danger of falling in love.

---
This is a fun suspenseful romance featuring wonderfully developed characters. Natalie is the owner of her own hair salon and also provides a temporary safe haven victims of domestic abuse escaping their abusers. She's a complex woman in her thirties who is intelligent, compassionate, and knows her own mind. The author also goes out of her way to show us that she possesses these qualities rather than telling us this. She isn't TSTL like a lot of other romance heroines and at no point does the plot count on her losing her character to advance it. Tully, like Natalie, is also a complex man. He's got skeletons in his closet and a past he'd rather forget. He's capable, protective, and respectful. He's an alpha male without tipping over into a-hole territory. Frankly it was massively refreshing.

This book tackles a heap-ton of sensitive subjects. As mentioned in the summary, there's Stalking, Domestic Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Gaslighting, and even child endangerment. The subjects are handled well, and you can tell that the author did her research.

The romance was believable and the sex hot. I really loved all of the consent that happened in this book in regards to the sex. There were multiple check-ins. And an understanding that just because a couple had had sex once that it didn't mean that sex was on the table all the time. Again, it was refreshing.

The one thing I didn't like was the actual ending. It features a trope that I have a lot of issues with because it places undue burden on one person and can make that person's answer dubious at best. It also takes away from that person's agency. It's a major squick for me.

Ultimately this is a wonderful book that fans of romantic suspense will eat up like ice cream!

Four stars.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley

4.5 stars

This is the third book in The Consultants series by Nancy Herkness.

After I read my first Herkness book, I was hooked.

This book features the last guy in KRG Consulting, Tully. He comes in to assist Natalie with a stalker who is leaving her physical notes as well as email threats.

I don’t want to say this is a cookie cutter story but it follows the same format as most of her books. I like the format. It works for me and hits all the feels. I can see the set up of using one of Natalie’s friends as maybe the next book’s leading man. I love it when authors do this. It gets us ready for the next book.

Not a lot to say here. It’s a good book. I love this author and it makes me look forward to the next book by Herkness.

Loved so much about it. If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Thanks go to the author, publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of The Agent by Nancy Herkness. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to its release. My opinions are my own and no one influenced them.

The Agent is the third book in Ms. Herkness’s series, The Consultants. As with all of Ms. Herkness’s novels, The Agent is a well-written novel with characters that pull you into the story and having you routing for them to succeed.

Natalie Hart is the heroine, and she’s a truly endearing character with many traits I love. She’s a troubled soul with a poor self-image from the emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-husband. That type of abuse is so hard because there are no physical signs of the damage one suffers from a controlling relationship. It can tear one’s soul apart and take years to recover from the abuse.

Tully Gibson is a fantastic hero with his own issues from his past. While his problems are not from an ex, they are no less damaging and has him determined to avoid a deep relationship with anyone. Then he meets Natalie and that changes fast.

The romance between Natalie and Tully is combustible from the beginning and burns hot throughout the book. The sexual scenes are well written with plenty of passion and will appeal to many readers. There’s also a strong emotional attraction between them, and I really wanted them to find their happy ending.

The suspense in The Agent is amazing! The suspense builds throughout the story and had me sitting on the edge of my seat. There’s a lot of action in The Agent making it a fast-paced reading experience. Ms. Herkness is a master at writing romantic suspense!

If you enjoy romantic suspense novels with a hot billionaire, and a plot with plenty of action, then you will love The Agent as much as I did. I’m not sure what Ms. Herkness plans for her next book, but I know I will want to read it. Happy reading!