Jacks of Hearts by Sandra Owens......This is an awesome start to a new series, I am so excited to read more. The story is so well written and keeps you flipping pages with these amazing characters. I loved watching the story unfold for Alex and Madison. Sandra Owens is an fabulous author keeping us on the edge of our seats and loving the characters. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book from publisher via NetGalley.

I was sorry to see Sandra Owens last series finish, but she has made it up to me with her new Aces & Eights Series, Jack of Hearts, Book 1has her hard hitting, tough male lead once again on the side of justice. Alex is undercover FBI working with his brothers. Yea, that means more in the series to come!

Alex Gentry’s story gave us a wonderful introduction to the Gentry brothers and their bar. In the beginning the background of the brothers is built along with the bar and their undercover work. After that the story speeds us as Madison, a criminal’s cousin becomes Alex’s focus. I liked that Madison has an invincible spirit despite her family connections. Alex to be likable but I liked how he found himself off balanced with Madison.

The story flows quickly after the initial introduction with action, suspense along with danger, and of course the right of romance. Jack of Hearts proves this new series will have all of the elements that I look forward to in Sandra Owens books.

Loved this story. Three hot, undercover FBI agents (must be nice to have your brothers watching your back; wonder whether the FBI actually allow siblings to work together?) running a biker bar and a bookstore owner connected to a crime family. Light, flirty, fast read and with the exception of the prologue not at all dark. This was Alex and Madison's story but you get clues as to who might become the love interests of brothers, Nate and Court and it will be interesting to read Kinsey's story too. Going to look out for that one! Standalone story with a HEA.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Alex Gentry is deep undercover with his brother's. He is trying to infiltrate into a drug lords cartel. The only problem is Madison cousin of Ramon the said drug lord.
Madison wants to get her bookstore running and to get out of the slimy clutches of her cousin Ramon. He is as slimy as slimy comes. She always had the hots for Alex but she doesn't know where he stands.
Alex can't tell Madison the truth or it will bust him. He just has to get this thing solved before they can have a true relationship. Things don't always work out the way you want them. The tension between Madison and Alex is hot and the sram is rising.
You will not be able to put this down.
** I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

***4 “Men Are Stupid” Stars***

This is one of those books where the cover drew me in enough to read the description, which definitely go me thinking, but also made me need to know how the series name, Ace & Eights was connected to the story and whadda you know? The series title makes total sense and I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, flirty, sexy and filled with well written characters that I want to know more about.

Alex had a difficult childhood and though he does carry some pretty deep scars he came out of it on the right side of the line and is now working to put the bad guys away. Alex is all kinds of smexy alpha male. Despite the work he has to do, his code of honor and moral compass are still on point and though he will get the job done, he won’t compromise his own ethics.

Madison’s dream of opening up her own bookstore with her best friend is finally becoming a reality and though she’s having some issues with her family, she isn’t letting it dampen her spirits. Madison has a lot of moxie. She’s sassy and has no problem standing up for herself, she’s also protective and has a good dose of self preservation. She may waffle over how she feels about certain things, but trusts her gut and will reach out and grab hold of what she wants.

How do you form a relationship with someone when you can’t be entirely honest about who you are? And how can you fully trust someone when your gut is telling you that the person isn’t being entirely forthcoming? That’s the Sword of Damocles that hangs over Alex and Madison’s budding relationship. Alex knows he shouldn’t even be speaking to Madison, but he can’t help himself. Madison knows Alex is hiding something big from her, especially since he’s being all buddy, buddy with her cousin, but she feels safe with him. I really liked how their relationship evolved. The pacing of it was realistic and while there was a ton of physical attraction and sexual tension going on, there was no insta-love. They spent time together and got to know each other, at least as much as they could and I loved spending time with the two of them as they flirted and bantered and found they couldn’t stay away from each other. My one hang up though is that after the big blow out I just felt there was something missing in their reconciliation. The groveling was well done, but I needed more out of it. I’m happy they are together, but that one thing that would have made it perfect was missing.

The writing was engaging and the pacing of the story was good. I liked the dual 3rd person POV’s though there were a few spots where the switch between whose POV we were getting happened without warning and had me going back to re-read to make sure I didn’t miss something. The prologue confused me a bit, it was done well, but it took me a bit to realize how it was connected to the main storyline and then I had that lightbulb moment and like how that was resolved as well as the whole taking down of the drug cartel storyline. But what I loved the most was how well the secondary characters were written. The baddie were icky bad, like the kind you where you want to take a boiling hot shower and scrub them away with steel wool icky. And the good guys, namely Alex’s brothers, were awesome and I can’t wait for their books! And that epilogue? I can’t wait to see how that all plays out either!

Working undercover, FBI agent Alex Gentry, along with his two brothers use their biker bar to hang with dangerous and deadly criminals but Alex (Heart Man) doesn’t scare easy. Getting close to Ramon Alonzo, second in command to a notorious drug lord was dangerous enough but it seems, there might be one thing or rather one person that scares him more—his attraction to Ramon’s beautiful cousin, Madison.

All Madison Parker wants is to concentrate on getting her bookstore, Black Cat and Tea, off the ground and make it a success. Her hope is to distance herself from her uncle and cousin, who are nothing but trouble. When her uncle tries to involve her bookstore in their nefarious activities, she does her best to fight back. She hadn’t expected the sexy Alex to become her greatest champion.

I have to admit that JACK OF HEARTS by Sandra Owens started out a bit slow for me, so much so that since I was in the midst of another family crisis, I ended up going back and starting from the beginning because it didn’t stay with me. I think that was more my problem than Sandra’s however, because soon I was totally caught up in the action, tension, and intrigue wrapping around a truly sweet love story. Alex and Madison belong together in such a way that they remind me of a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, but with a much happier ending. Family can have a way of sticking their noses in where it doesn’t belong, overpowering those who fall prey to their demands but when the underdog suddenly bursts from her shell and stands tall, you can’t help but cheer. Madison is such a character, strong and brash, and Alex (by the way, he might just be my new book boyfriend) supports her in every way possible even as he uses her as an informant. No matter how badass he tries to be, it is obvious that it rubs against the grain of his conscience to do, and so has her back even when it might endanger them both.

One of the reasons that I so loved the K-2 Team series was the characters, the relationships between the characters, and the richness of diversity; well, she’s done it again! Alex, Court, and Nate Gentry are a trio of sexiness and I can’t wait for the others to have their stories. Madison isn’t one to kowtow to anyone, especially her creepy beyond creepy cousin, Ramon, or her overpowering uncle. Sandra has knocked it out of the park with the characters she’s conjured in JACK OF HEARTS. Her good guys are so likeable and her bad guys are so despicable…including Trina. My only criticism is that the editor in me found a couple of the POV changes a bit awkward but otherwise, it was very well written.

I highly recommend JACK OF HEARTS, the first book in the Aces & Eights series by Sandra Owens to anyone who loves a romance featuring sexy good guys, strong heroines, truly bad, bad guys, lots of action, intrigue and well, steamy sexy tension and all that it entails. Be forewarned though, this ends with a cliffhanger but it only makes the reader want more…lots more.

This story has equal amounts of danger, threat, and suspense with passion, affection, and love. It pulled me into the dark and treacherous world of biker bars, drug deals, and undercover assignments where fights, deals, and rivalry seemed to be everyday occurrences.
I fell in love with the Gentry brothers and the palpable love they had for each other. The situation they had grown up in wasn't ideal in anyone's eyes, yet they made it and made something of themselves, something to be proud of. The brothers are tight, they always have each other's back, and they are not afraid to show that they care.
Alex Gentry is the youngest of the brothers and in deep trouble because of his developing feelings for Madison Parker. The way he was open about his feelings towards her from the start and told about his intentions was endearing. There were so many times these two made me smile, and the rides on the bike just left me envious. When Alex and Madison were together there was fire and heat, the passion blazing. But Madison had her doubts, and I understood her point, her issues with trust and the complications that the secrets were causing them.
Ramon Alonzo as the creepy cousin and vile culprit gave me the chills. The action was tour-curling fierce and had me holding my breath, inhaling the story, as is seamlessly flow from the pages. The images in the story are strong and vivid. I swear I could sense the heat in the air, hear the ocean roar, and feel the sand in my toes of the Miami beaches.
Even though biker bars and MC clubs are not my favorite storyline, I was into the scenes the author created, the elements from fear to adoration were distinct and evident. The attractive Gentry brothers with their charm won me over immediately, the secondary characters adding to the allure and the possibilities of the coming events that were hinted at left me eagerly wanting more. Definitely keeping an eye on this series, you guys need to check this one out!
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

**ARC received from the author for an honest review**

Meet Alex Gentry: undercover FBI with the right mix of badass and righteousness. He's been working undercover with his brothers to take down a kingpin; everything has been carefully planned out and calcualted. Except for Madison Parker, niece to the elusive kingpin and somehow wrapped up in his dark world. Alex never planned to have her in his radar...but now he can't seem to get her out of harm's way.

I loved the blend of bad boy biker and FBI agent with Alex and his brothers. Owen's clever nicknaming of the brothers as card faces was refreshing; hence our books title as Alex is "HeartMan". For book one on the series there is a good layout of characters and whats going on but I was a but lost in the beginning. I feel like theres already backstory to Madison and Alex that isn't told clearly enough for us at first. But it was quickly forgotten once you get down to the meat of the story.

Madison and Alex have an undeniable attraction to one another and light up the page. and not just with their passion but with the action that we see. Its almost like a biker/mob version of Romeo and Jute except adults and no suicides. The underlying plot of Alex and his brothers' mission he'd a greta level of action for me, not enough suspense but it wasn't by any means boring.

This was a first time read for me for Sandra Owens and i DEFINITELY can't wait for book number two: King of Clubs!

Well I guess 3 1/2. I just had a hard time getting into this one. I don't know why. It took me a long time to really get into the characters. I like the plot interesting. The brothers seem cool and they sure have a great deal of love and bonding between them. They had such a crappy childhood. Nate is sure to be the hardest one to fall in love.

Jack was ok. He is the baby of the bunch. He seemed really caviler to me. I hate when the hero has to be a jerk to the heroine for her own good. I hate high handed men who think they know better instead of just being truthful. Madison was pretty tough.

A great beginning for Ms Owens’s new series titled , Aces and Eights. You will be drawn to the storyline from the moment you start reading this book.
The premise of this series is a biker bar owned by a set of brothers. In this one we have Alex Gentry, an FBI undercover agent.
HIs Achilles heel is Madison, whom he befriends during this mission . She happens to be related to a man who is a drug lord and who Alex is trying to bring down.
His attraction to Madison puts them both in danger. Both are keeping secrets and neither knows who the other one really is and represents.
Not only are thee two characters strong, and likable, but so are the secondary characters. So if you are looking for a book filled with romance, suspense and hunky guys who happen to be brothers, this one is for you. Once again, Ms Owens displaces her talent.
I was gifted this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

I had to mark this as DNF. I found myself unable to really get into the story at all.

I enjoyed book. Madison was a cool heroine, and I liked how she was astute, and protected her heart. But we have yummy Alex, how could she resist. Hated her perv cousin, mean uncle, and slutty Trina. Trina really didn't ad to book, it was wasted space. But I love that Madison and Alex get there HEA... Can't wait for his brothers stories next, wanted to read what the connection was between Madison's roommate and Court.

This is the 1st book in Ms. Owens' new series Aces & Eights. The series is about 3 brothers who are FBI agents, but own a biker bar as a cover for their undercover work. This 1st book is about the youngest brother Alex.

Alex is trying to get close to a drug lord through is son Ramon and during that time he meets Ramon's cousin Madison ... who he immediately becomes enamored with. He tries to tell himself that it is all for the case, but in his heart he knows that's not true. Madison is just trying to live her life after her father is killed. She opens a bookstore with her friend Lauren, but has to take a loan from her drug lord uncle and at the time doesn't realize all the string that come along with that loan. She doesn't know what to think of Alex ... is a "good guy" or a "bad guy" ... but she does know that she finds him intriguing. There are lots of twists and turns and you are kept guessing right to the end ... actually it evens ends with a WTF! I can't wait for the brother's (Nate and Court) books. My only complaint is that sometimes I thought the wording was a little cheesy.

I received an ARC copy courtesy of Montlake Romance through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Jack of Hearts starts a new series for Sandra Owens, creator of the K2 series that I love. Alex is one of a set of brothers working undercover at their bar. I found this setup hard to believe, but was willing to go with it. Madison is the cousin of a drug kingpin who seems to have pervy intentions towards her, as does his father for Madison's mother.

The book was extremely hard for me to get into - I set it aside several times and would come back to it, plugging along because the K2 series was so good that I figured this series would be too. And I was right - after about a third of the book, it suddenly came together and I couldn't put it down. The events in the story kept me anxious at the right times and the chemistry between the characters solidified. I'm looking forward to book 2 in this series.

This book started off on the wrong foot with me, and it just never really recovered. I felt like the beginning was too rushed - there was very little backstory information (how did they meet, how did their relationship develop, etc.). I felt like I was missing a chapter of two. So this made it confusing from the get-go. Then I just didn't like Madison. Don't get me wrong, I like a damsel in distress as much as the next person, but this was just too much. She let her cousin and uncle walk all over her, let her mom's weakness dictate her decisions, and her cousin groped and kissed her with very little reaction from her! She reacted as if it was annoying rather than the disgusting perversion it was. Only later on in the story does she begin to take it seriously. She was in the category of "too stupid to live" and I felt that the author made the women in this story look way too weak and helpless. Not a good look.

This is an awesome start to what should be a great new series from this author. It was a bit slow in the beginning but once all the characters are introduced and the storyline established it was great. Alex is an FBI agent working undercover with his brothers. They own and run a biker bar as their cover but are actually investigating Ramon Alonzo, a known drug trafficker. Madison is Ramon's cousin and is unwittingly caught in the middle of Alex and Ramon. She has information that could possibly help Alex so his attraction to her could be trouble. Big trouble. Keeping her safe could prove to be more difficult than building the case against Alonzo!

Definitely a recommended read.

well paced good read

Loved it!!! Another stellar job! Never disappointed with Sandra's books.

Jack of Hearts was a fantastic book. First of all, I love the cover, the title, and the name of the bar. I don't know if it was intentional, but the name Aces & Eights is awesome considering the 'dead man's hand' was named after a wild west law man who was also known to be a spy. Since the Gentry's are actually undercover FBI agents, the name really is a stroke of brilliance. Although this is book one of three, there is no cliffhanger and it completely stands alone.

As is her forte, Ms. Owens has once again written a fabulous book about really well-written characters – both the good guys and the bad guys, and with incredible chemistry between the main two characters. I finished this book in two sittings because once I started reading it, I needed to know how it ended and I was so into it that I didn't allow myself to get distracted by anything around me.

Alex Gentry was swoon-worthy, and everything that I want in a male romance novel character. A lot of times in romance novels, FBI agents/cops act like absolute swaggering jerks under the guise of being what the genre pretends is an “alpha male”. Although Alex was extremely confident, a little hot-headed, and a smidge cocky, he was never even remotely close to being unlikable – not even when he was undercover and interacting with the dregs of humanity. He was just a flat out good guy who was trying to do the right thing, and trying to protect someone that he cared about. I really loved that about him. Granted, he was keeping secrets and not being 100% truthful, but he was doing so with the absolute best of intentions and with a tremendous amount of guilt, so forgiving him was a no-brainer for me - even before his absolutely adorable gestures of apology.

Madison was a nice combination of a strong woman who was also incredibly vulnerable because of her unfailing love for her mother. Although there were times that I wanted to shake her for being too complacent, I also understood her need to keep her mother from falling apart. One of my favorite parts of this whole book was (slight SPOILERS to the end of this paragraph only) when she went 'Grasshopper' on Ramon. I was so hoping that she'd get a chance to do that, so when it happened, I wanted to fist pump for her. Also, the scene in the kitchen while Alex made breakfast made me want to cry, it was so beautiful.

Along with the love story between Alex and Madison and the really interesting action story line, the secondary characters that we were supposed to like were fabulous. The ones we weren't supposed to like were so creepy and awful that I wasn't at all sad about their fates. Ramon and Trina, specifically. Every time those two were even mentioned, my skin crawled, which is a testament to Ms. Owen's talent for nailing characterization. And the 'good guys' were GREAT. I adored the Gentry boys who were both funny and entertaining in their own ways, and I am looking forward to learning more about them. I am especially anxious for Court and Lauren's book, but judging by the little glimpses of Nate we got, I think that Nate will be the wild card (pun intended) in the group. I can't wait for the rest of this series.

That epilogue, though. It was not at all what I was expecting and I NEED to know more. It is going to be a long wait for the next book to be released.

If you like a story with action and intrigue wrapped around a really sweet love story about two people who belong together, you should give this one a read – you won't be sorry.

I requested a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was under no obligation to review it, but did so because I very much enjoyed the book.