Tuesday 28 January 2014

Promo Tour - The Countermeasure Series by Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey


I am so pleased as punch to be part of this promo tour and to share my love of this series. Countermeasure was one of the first series I started my reviewing platform with. The authors Chris and Cecilia have become good online friends and we have a blast in our Countermeasure Group and our Street Team Geeks Hub!



This is where it all began for me and my love for the sexy geeky Trevor. Rawr!


COUNTERMEASURE--Book 1 in the Countermeasure Series--is The TBR Pile's 2012 Book of the Year.

COUNTERMEASURE is a recipient of the indiePENdents's Seal of Good Writing.

WARNING: Contains scenes of mature subject matter, graphic situations and language. Reader discretion is advised.

In the first novel of the COUNTERMEASURE SERIES, tenacious ex-CIA agent Cassandra James is in hot water. A cyber thief stole sensitive information from her father's top client - information she was supposed to keep secure - and now she could lose her job, even if she is the boss' daughter. The only person who can help her recover the stolen data is sexy NSA analyst Trevor Bauer - a computer mastermind who's broken through her personal security and might break her heart as well.

Trevor is on the hunt for answers to the mystery surrounding his parents' disappearance. Following a promising lead into the missing Bristol files, he accidentally gets on the radar of a woman too hot to handle...and a mercenary willing to do anything to keep both of them from recovering those files.

To track down the thief, Trevor and Cassandra must embark on a harrowing adventure that leads them across the ocean and into a world of intrigue, danger, and passion. But as they close in on their target, their relationship begins to boil, jeopardizing their mission as well as their very lives. Will they learn to trust their instincts - and each other - in order to survive?

The suspense driven COUNTERMEASURE SERIES combines full-length novels and Bytes of Life short stories about sexy, technologically inclined men and women. The series is filled with heart-stopping danger and enough twists and turns to make a hair-raising rollercoaster seem tame. In the series, Trevor Bauer, a tough as nails NSA geek, and his even more tenacious love interest, Cassandra James, are on a quest for clues in the mysterious disappearance of Trevor's parents. Joined by fate, their search drops them into the mysterious and violent world of data espionage, one that tests their love as they sweep the world with romance, sex, and ingenuity to find answers that will have the power to change their lives forever.

My Review
(Original from 2012 - eek!)

Rating = Five Stars!

This is the first book in a new series and I must say the authors have done a sterling job pulling me into this World of geeks, suspense and love!

Cassandra is a former CIA agent and a kick ass tough cookie, Trevor is a computer geek working for the NSA, who has oodles of Irish charm and is oh so sexy (rawr!). Their paths cross when Cassandra is investigating a cyber crime of which Trevor is implicated after leaving a data trail whilst making his own investigation into the disappearance of his parents.

Their first meeting is the start of this fantastic journey that takes you into the world of cyber, murder, betrayal, suspense and …oh lots of loving. Oh yes lots of hotness! High five!

I loved this book as it offered something different and was a definite page turner. The interaction between the characters was intense and drew me right in. I became emotionally involved with them as if I was right there, in the action, which was well paced and brilliantly written. The description of the visuals and sounds made you feel the atmosphere and tension which in some places had me on the edge of my seat!

An excellent start to a new series and I for one cannot wait for the next book. It left me yearning for more. Bring it on!
~~~~~~


The next book I read was To Russia With Love but since then the Bytes of Life short stories were brought out so I have been back and read all the novels again plus the bytes of life short stories in order which I would encourage all new readers to the series to do this too.

NSA tech expert Trevor Bauer is on the hunt for his missing parents who disappeared six years ago under suspicious circumstances. When a digital clue leads him and his new wife, Cassandra, a former CIA operative, to St. Petersburg, they must infiltrate the Russian mafia and outsmart a ruthless crime lord to get their hands on the critical information.

Their mission backfires, leaving Trevor a prisoner and forcing Cassandra to go on the run to protect him. Alone and in the middle of a gang showdown, Trevor must decide...will he do whatever it takes to escape the mafia and get to Cassandra before she flees the country? Or will he risk everything...including his life...to secure the clue he so desperately needs?

My Review
(from 2012!)

Rating = five stars!
After the brilliant first book, Countermeasure, this one had a lot to live up to and boy did it deliver!

Cassie and Trevor are now happily married, living and working in their own business in Ireland. When a possible piece of evidence is found into the on-going investigation to the disappearance of Trevor’s parents, the couple accept a case that leads them to Russia and the Mafia!

At the same time, Jessica, Cassie’s best friend, has accepted a job with the couple and is now living in Ireland. Part of her reason for moving to Ireland was to discover if her encounter with Stephan at the couple’s wedding could lead to something more. 

Stephan, close friend of Trevor’s father and acting CEO of Brennan Enterprises, has hidden insecurities that stopped him developing his feelings for Jessica. He now finds himself facing those demons as it becomes apparent neither he nor Jessica can hold back their feelings any more. 

I absolutely ADORED this book. It has everything you need – drama, comedy, suspense, violence, intrigue and romance. Oh yes, the romance – two for the price of one! These being the continuation of Cassie and Trevor’s HEA and the new beginnings of Stephan and Jessica.

I just LOVED Stephan – this strong, gorgeous man with his inner demons and emotions held in check. The development of his relationship with Jessica just had me sighing, crying and routing for them! And as for the sexiness – oh my goodness – my kindle was sizzling!

Cassie and Trevor on the other hand found themselves in hot water with the Russian mafia. In parts I was reading with my heart in my mouth at the darkness and violence of the nasty characters of the mafia. Again this book had me on the edge of my seat!

I cannot recommend this book enough, it was simply wonderful.

 A true rollercoaster – take a seat and enjoy the ride!


Trevor and Cassandra



Countermeasure Play List

Music is a big part of our creative process. For each book or even each character, we assign a list of songs that serve as inspiration and drive to get the work done.

Some songs are applicable to all of the books in the series while some songs are specific to a situation and isolated to one of the books only.

We have a lot of songs that drove Countermeasure to its closing. For the sake of brevity, we’ll list the top 10 inspirational songs here in no particular order.

1- Poets of the Fall - War
2- Shinedown - If You Only Knew
3- Snow Patrol - Set The Fire To The Third Bar
4- Kings of Leon - Closer
5- The XX - Do You Mind
6- Staind - Tangled Up In You
7- Poets of the Fall - Heal My Wounds
8- Kings Of Leon - Sex on Fire
9- Incubus - Drive
10- Cold - Cure My Tragedy

You can find a more detailed list for Countermeasure as well as the other books in the series on the series’ YouTube channel:

RETAILERS LINKS

UNCHARTED

UNCHARTED is now available in audio format from Audible, Amazon and iTunes.

COUNTERMEASURE (with bonus short story UNCHARTED)

COUNTERMEASURE

COUNTERMEASURE is now available in audio format from Audible, Amazon and iTunes. 

COUNTERMEASURE: Bytes of Life Volume I (Anthology with three Bytes of Life - Books 2, 3, and 4)

ECSTASY BY THE SEA

ECSTASY BY THE SEA is now available in audio format from Audible, Amazon and iTunes. 

CUFFED AT MIDNIGHT

CUFFED AT MIDNIGHT is now available in audio format from Audible, Amazon and iTunes.

PASSION AT DAWN

PASSION AT DAWN is now available in audio format from Audible, Amazon and iTunes. 

TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE

TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE is now available in audio format from Audible, Amazon and iTunes. 

BLINDSIDED

LOST TO RAPTURE

 SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Facebook:

Websites:
Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey - http://chrisalmeida-ceciliaaubrey.com
Countermeasureseries - http://countermeasureseries.com

GoodReads Author Pages:

Twitter:

Amazon:

YouTube:



3 comments:

  1. Mandie! Thank you for your feedback on the series. Chris and I are pleased that you are enjoying our wild ride. We love feedback and questions so don't be shy.

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  2. Great reviews, Mandie! I always like reading what other people thought of a book or books I loved. Sometimes I feel it is hard to do a book justice in a review. You did a great job! Congrats to Chris & Cecilia on the series and good luck with future releases!

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  3. Wonderful reviews! I am thrilled to see more Countermaniacs like myself!

    ReplyDelete