Review ~ White-Hot Hack (Kate and Ian #2) by Tracey Garvis-Graves

ebook purchased by myself.

Release Date: June 7th 2016

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
Their love story began in Heart-Shaped Hack. Join Kate and Ian for the thrilling conclusion in White-Hot Hack.

When cybercriminals doxed undercover hacker Ian Bradshaw and forced him to flee, he begged Kate Watts for forgiveness and vowed never to hurt her again. He also convinced her to marry him, and when their idyllic summer on Roanoke Island comes to an end, the newlyweds relocate to their new home deep in the heart of Virginia’s horse and wine country. Ian still struggles with boundaries, but he keeps Kate’s lingerie drawer filled with surprises, and there’s no shortage of number-six kisses. There’s even a fast, new car to replace his beloved Shelby.

Ian promised Kate that life with him would never be boring, but spending her days picking out paint colors and going to Pilates isn’t going to cut it. Meanwhile, Ian discovers that building a white-hat security firm from the ground up seems harder the second time around, and he might have underestimated how much he’d miss the undercover work he walked away from. To make matters worse, the hacktivists are threatening national security, and the task force could really use Ian’s help.

Kate and Ian have always worried that their past would catch up to them, and when faced with the biggest showdown of their lives, they must capitalize on the one thing they excel at most: teamwork. Ian claims no one is a better hacker than him, but in order to triumph, he’ll have to prove it. And if he can’t, he risks losing the woman whose heart he worked so hard to hack.

My Opinion

I started this as soon as I finished Heart-Shaped Hack. I needed more of Kate and Ian, and I really enjoyed this author's writing style. In the end I think I enjoyed this more than book 1.

White-Hot Hack was filled with all of the humour and witty banter between the characters that I enjoyed from book 1. The characters continued to hold my interest as they battled with complications that came with married life. Kate and Ian are two characters who feed of each other brilliantly. Their fights, love, and interaction made me smile.

I also really enjoyed the suspense element. Although I once again guessed the culprit, I enjoyed watching it all unfold. I thought the author developed the hacker sides of this book exceptionally well. She'd clearly done her research and it paid off in creating an authentic book.

Overall I really enjoyed this read. I wish Charlie had a book rather than his story be summed up in the epilogue so I didn't have to stop the duet here.

5

Review ~ Heart-Shaped Hack (Kate and Ian, #1) by Tracey Garvis-Graves

ebook purchased by myself.

Release Date: August 25th 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
When Kate Watts abandoned her law career to open a food pantry in Northeast Minneapolis, she never dreamed it would be this difficult. Facing the heartbreaking prospect of turning hungry people away, she is grateful for the anonymous donations that begin appearing at the end of each month. Determined to identify and thank her secret benefactor, she launches a plan and catches Ian —a charismatic hacker with a Robin Hood complex—in the act.

Ian intrigues Kate in a way no man ever has. But after learning he’s snooped around on her personal computer, she demands retribution. Impressed with her tolerance and captivated by her spirit, he complies and begins to slowly charm his way past her defenses. Time spent with Ian is never boring, and Kate soon finds herself falling for the mysterious hacker.

But Ian has enemies and they’re growing restless. In the hacking world, exploiting a target’s weakness is paramount, and no price is too high to stop an attack. And when Kate learns exactly how much Ian has paid, she’ll discover just how strong her love is for the man who has hacked his way into her heart.

My Opinion

I found this book via another blogger's review. It's rare for me to read reviews that win me over if I haven't found the book myself, but the excerpt shared hooked me. It sold the book as one with a great dynamic between the characters and I definitely got what I expected.

Heart-Shaped Hack was a brilliant read. I could say a lot, but I won't as there are some twists that are better experienced. The main thing I loved was the character. Ian was confident and cocky, but he was funny with it. I liked his playful, unashamed arrogance, but I also liked his tender side. He wasn't a typical alpha male, and his sense of humour made me laugh numerous times.

Similarly, I think Kate balanced his character well. She could match him in wit, but was also more grounded.

As for the story, it kept me hooked and I couldn't put it down. I did guess a lot of the twists, but it was the characters who kept me engaged with this read. Their banter just flowed.


Overall a great read. I've bought book 2 and would definitely recommend this.

5