REVIEW: The Transporter by Liz Maverick

The Transporter by Liz Maverick: When Cecily Keegan needs to escape her boyfriend, she reaches out to her brother, Dex, a member of the Hudson Kings, who are a group of mercenaries. He sends his friend and fellow Hudson Kings member, Shane Sullivan, to pick her up. Known as The Transporter for his reputation for delivering things, he agrees to do his friend a favor on his way to a delivery. Only there’s more to meets the eye when it comes to Cecily’s boyfriend, and it’s clear she’s in danger. It’s up to Shane and the rest of the Hudson Kings to keep her safe.

This is the first book in the series, yet it felt like readers were supposed to know who the Hudson Kings were and what they did. I thought a little more of an explanation would have been nice.

Then there’s Dex. Cecily didn’t even know her brother was part of a mercenary group. For siblings who were supposed to be close, they didn’t seem to really know one another. He leaves Shane to have to explain his role in the Kings when he should have done it himself.

Cecily sat up straighter. “Is Dex involved in something criminal?”
“I’d say Dex is more on the side of law than some of us. He’s probably got some legit freelance for a day job.”
“Wait, what? Legit? What? Wait. Day job? What’s his night job?”

Then when Rothgar, the leader of the Hudson Kings, basically throws Cecily out of the house despite the fact she’s in danger, Dex didn’t even try to stop him. Needless to say, I wasn’t overly impressed with Cecily’s brother or with Rothgar.

Shane runs a bit hot and cold with Cecily, as he struggles with the fact that neither Rothgar nor Dex seem to want him to be with her. Cecily, on the other hand, doesn’t care that no one seems supportive of them; she just wants to be with him. For the most part I liked them together, but I wished he would have just stood up for what he wanted instead of worrying about what his friends thought.

There’s some action in the book, as well as a little bit of mystery pertaining to what happened to Missy’s and Ally’s brothers, who were also members of the Hudson Kings that went missing and were never found. Readers are introduced to most of the team but not in a way that’s overwhelming or confusing.

This book would be for those who enjoy romantic suspense, especially those featuring a tight-knit group of mercenaries. While I enjoyed some aspects of it, there were some I didn’t. I’d still be willing to give future books in the series a chance though.

Book Info:

Publication: August 1, 2017 | Montlake Romance | Hudson Kings #1

Shane Sullivan, a.k.a. the Transporter, channels his need for speed into top-secret delivery runs for the Hudson Kings, an elite band of mercenaries. His precious cargo has never talked back—until now. He’s riding to the rescue of his fellow team member’s sister, who’s fleeing her abusive boyfriend. His job: steer clear of trouble and get her to New York City in one piece. But he didn’t count on her driving him to distraction. Now he needs to keep both hands on the wheel—and off his best friend’s sister.

Cecily Keegan has a poor track record when it comes to falling for charming bad guys. So although she’s grateful for this hard-bodied wheelman’s protection, she’s terrified of listening to her heart, which has been racing since she got into his backseat. But when she learns that the danger is far greater than a possessive ex, she has to trust Shane—and the strength inside herself—to deliver her from evil.