Bullet has been trained to be a cold, sharp-shooting assassin since the age of 5. She is part of the "First Team," and their trainer, Joseph Bombardier is head of a powerful group known as "The Collective." Rand has vowed revenge on Joseph Bombardier and The Collective since they killed his wife and daughter. He formed "Trident," his own security agency, to help others like himself, but also to finally get his revenge. Instead of killing Rand as she has been ordered, Bullet warns him that he is a target and sets in motion her own plan for revenge.
There are many ambiguous characters in this book, whose actions are unpredictable, making for a very interesting read. However, from the beginning, we understand Bullet and feel her pain as well as her motivation. Bullet is a very strong female character whose actions follow a deeply entrenched moral code that she and her "sisters" continue to use as the basis for their choices. Rand and his men are not easily convinced of Bullet's intentions, but as the story unfolds, they slowly learn to both understand and respect Bullet and the choices she has made. Overall, this is a very good opening to the No Mercy series. ( )

I've stepped out of my carefully constructed contemporary box lately. I've thrown in some different subgenres and been blown away. I walked into this story with "The assassin is a woman and badass." GO GIRL POWER!

"Women were universally the more vicious gender. Cross a woman and hell had no fury to compare to her rage."

Damn straight! And once you read Bullet's story, you'll be understanding of her rage. Not to say our male lead, Rand, was to be put in the corner. He was his own version of badassness! And when the two start the embers of sexual chemistry - Whoa Baby!!

So, what is it that I liked so well? First off, I'm a huge Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum fan. I read all their novels when I was on a spy thriller reading kick. And Lea Griffith's story read so strong and true to all that appealed to me as a reader. It was fast paced, and yet she intertwined backstory to get you engaged with the characters. Bullet is amazing female lead as she is a force to be reckoned with, yet not over the top bitchiness that makes you not like her. Rand was definitely-I'm in control alpha male but can take a back seat and recognize when the 'girl' has the skills.

The story was thrilling and twisting that have you turning the pages long into the night to find out what happens next. But besides a thriller, there is a very appealing love story to offer. Its fun and leaves off where you can stop there or continue on to see what her 'sisters' bring to the table.
5 out of 5 thrilling stars.

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This is hardcore stuff right here.. The author blew me away with the brutality and heartbreak of this story.

Girls are taken at the age of 5 by a sadistic man who tortures the humanity out of them to turn them into deadly assassins. Twenty two years ago he took his first set of girls now they are his best assassins. But for those 22 years they have been plotting to get there revenge. The one born Gretchen who became Bullet is the heroine of this story. She is the deadliest sniper there is. When she purposely botches her latest job to set her plan in motion for revenge she has to endure more torture at the hands of the man she just let live because he thinks she is the one that killed his wife and daughter 7 years ago.

The hatred Rand Beckett has for Bullet and the extreme torture he puts her through is brutal but it’s nothing new to her as she was put through similar torture from the man who is head of The Collective. Bullet has to be the strongest female character I have ever read. Nothing can break her. The inner struggle these two go through as they work through their feelings – his of hatred and her of never having any for so long due to her programming – was fascinating to watch.

The main objective of both the 4 assassins and Rend’s group men who make up Trident Corporation is to kill all of the men that make up The Collective. The assassins want Joseph’s head and Trident wants The Collective’s. There is not a resolution to this at the end of the book. As there are three more of the female assassins’ stories to tell I am guessing the final revenge will not be until the last book. I am soo in on all the future books in this series.
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