#Review: Running Blind by Cindy Gerard - 3 Wine Glasses

Title: Running Blind
Series: One Eyed Jacks  #3
Author: Cindy Gerard
Format:  Paperback & eBook, 385 pages
Published: February 24, 2015 by Pocket Books
ASIN: B00LD1RWIS
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Source: Goodreads First reads
Reviewer: Kimberly
Rating: 3 out of 5 Wine Glasses

Tension sizzles in this new book in the One-Eyed Jacks series by New York Times bestseller Cindy Gerard: a sexy, pulse-pounding story featuring special ops agent Jamie Cooper and a female cyber analyst as they fight for justice and fall in love.

No commitments, no promises, no looking back. Those are her rules. They used to be his rules, too. Counterterrorism operative and shameless playboy Jamie Cooper has gone head-to-head with some formidable opponents, but none so quick-witted, free-spirited, and smokin’ hot as security analyst Rhonda Burns. She lives up to her name, all fiery passion and zero inhibitions. 

In the wake of a sniper attack that leaves a close friend clinging to life, the duo is pegged to undertake the One-Eyed Jacks’ latest security mission alone—an assignment that leads them to a top-secret desert military facility. Almost immediately, the sexual tension that has been brewing for months erupts, blindsiding Rhonda and Jamie with the intensity of their feelings. They try to play it cool, but when an elite terrorist team makes the future uncertain, they ask themselves: is it now or never? 

Kimberly’s Thoughts:
The One Eyed Jacks are a super secret covert group of former military and specialized individuals who are at the front line of defense to protect America from terrorist.  Rhonda has no military experience but can hack into any computer system and wields coding as strong as any AK-47.  When she gets matched up with Jamie Cooper, former Marine Force Recon, to assess the security of a couple military bases, the two find it hard to ignore the chemistry that has been bubbling near the surface for awhile now.  With their team under attack from a revenge seeking enemy and surprise orders to visit Area 51, Rhonda and Coop might just have to give into a certain stress relieving option that they have been dying to do anyway.

This book had two different story-lines, the One Eyed Jacks being targeted and Russians trying to steal advanced military technology that didn't mesh very well together.  The story starts off strong with the team under attack and then working to find out who has targeted them when it suddenly switches gears and follows Coop and Rhonda as they head off on assignment.  It lollygags as our couple dances around each other while checking the security of Air Force bases and then ramps up a bit on the action side when they get sent to Area 51.  I'm fascinated with Area 51 and even though this is fiction, the mystique of the place locked me in and kept me interested.  Others who have no such interest will probably become even less involved as the story disconnects with the beginning and romance between leads.

Rhonda was a fun character to follow, she has some humorous inner thoughts and it was great to read about a woman IT specialist.  What really disappointed me was her, of course, "I've been hurt before so I can't possible EVER love again."  The reasoning behind her reluctance, seriously, isn't revealed until the very, very end and gets wrapped up in such a quick head scratching way.  I never felt or understood her reluctance; she came off very immature through the ordeal.  Coop had a little more life to him than the average military alpha of these types of stories but he never really had a lot of time to shine with Rhonda.  They have the hots for each other, eye ball one another, sleep together, and then he declares his love while Rhonda decides to push him away.  They lacked a certain liveliness and came off as a pretty dry romantic couple.

If you like military action themed tv shows, I always think Cindy Gerard books would be a good option if also looking for a hint of romance.  Her series and books always have a lot of moving parts; there are many characters and action subplots.  Like I said, the two action plots here just didn't gel.  It isn't until the end of the book that we get back to the revenge story-line and when we do it gets resolved very quickly and because of that, it felt very unsatisfying.   If you don't have an Area 51 fascination like me and don't like a heavy suspense plot, then the lack of romance here will probably leave you disappointed.