I would call Bulletproof an excellent example of a romantic-blend novel. The police procedural was excellent - I loved the undercover elements and the build-up to resolution. On the flip side, I found the romance to be top-notch as well. Briana & Dylan had amazing chemistry from the get-go, which built heavily as the novel progressed.

Additionally, I absolutely loved how I could not find one error, inconsistency or plot hole within the novel. I find in lesfic that one of those will typically occur and I find it frustrating when reading - it pulls me out of the story. With Bulletproof, it really felt seamless in transitions, dialogue and plot progression. I think there was a perfect amount of angst and I loved how Briana & Dylan communicated really maturely. If they had a disagreement, it wasn't left to brew for days but talked out to resolution. I find that this again is something that is lacking in lesfic.

I've read a few of Cummings' novels, but this is my favourite by far and after Bulletproof, I'm really looking forward to reading more of her police procedurals.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

After reading many reviews I was very anxious to read this story. But I feel like I didn't read the same book they did.
This is definitely a romance but after the first 3rd of the book I felt like the story was very repetitive.
Briana is an attorney and Dylan is a cop. They fall in love. But the problem is they work in the same department and are working on the same case. Briana is concerned about how a relationship with a co-worker will affect her career. And thats basically the story. Oh there is a little undercover work that Dylan does to catch some drug dealers but its not scary or dangerous. The story just goes on and on about how to hide their feelings from co-workers and how it will effect their careers.
AIthough its not mentioned, I kept thinking Dylan must be much younger than Briana because Dylan acts very immature. You will want to strangle her many times and then of course in the end she doesn't grow up but sort of wakes up.
Its an aggravating romance story and don't expect a mystery or action as some of the other reviews have stated.

This was truly a wonderful read, I’ve loved the characters and how Ms Cummings used the city backdrop as an additional one.
I’ve enjoyed everyone of this author’s books therefore my expectations were pretty high for this one, and I was very happy that even the high bar I’ve set have been cleared handily.
In particular I appreciated the evolution of both Briana and Dylan and how their relationship helped foster their growth and connection with each other and their feelings. Their chemistry was very palpable and the banter funny and light.
As I’ve come to expect from this author the secondary characters were developed enough to feel like real people and generate curiosity about their stories without distracting from the main couple, and to make the world feel lived and authentic.
In conclusion I recommend this book full heartedly to pass a very enjoyable afternoon

I really liked this crime/cop story. The author creates a plot where you can see a relationship being built and not a superficial romance.
Dylan and Briana are very well made characters and you are able to visualize them in real life. The book also brought them in a well balanced way, we are able to know how both of them feel and the chemistry between them was great!

3.5/5

I thought the first half of this was so strong, and I really enjoyed the characters and the relationship that was being built. However, around the 60% mark I was beginning to get bored, which is so sad, especially since it's not like the book was predictable. In fact, most of the turns this book took were ones i wasn't expecting. I just think maybe the romance happened too soon, so then over half the book was after they got together and I enjoyed the will they won't they part a lot more than when they were together.

I thought the secondary plot of the drug case was super interesting though, and that is definitely one of the reasons I wanted to read this, so i'm glad that held up for me. I think this book could do with either a little more build up to the romance, or just a shortening of the final 40%, but i'd definitely be interested in reading more of this author, as I enjoyed a lot of different aspects of the book.


Thank you to Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Dylan Prescott is a detective at the NYPD, she works hard and plays even harder and she has no intention of giving up her single life until she meets Briana. Briana Logan is a successful Assistant United States Attorney, she never lets her personal and work life overlap so when Dylan has a promotion and ends up in her division Briana tries her hardest not to break her own rule, never get involved with her colleagues.
I loved this book, there was so much simmering tension between Dylan and Briana and then the push and pull of their own insecurities which challenged their relationship, it kept the romance side of the story captivating. Of course this was also a cime story but this genre was just a substory in comparison to the romance of Dylan and Briana. Dylan and Briana were such strong women, what's not to love? Can't wait for the next Maggie Cummings book.

Sit tight and join Briana and Dylan as they navigate the ups and downs of forming a relationship in the busy world of NY City. With them working together, an undercover police detective and a US attorney, keeping their relationship a secret adds more difficulty to the mix

This was my first read from Maggie Cummings and it’s obvious that she has a background in law enforcement based on the in-depth details of the undercover operation and what it takes to get the case built. The romance follows a similar path, with a slow buildup from a casual fling to a full-fledged relationship. The way she writes makes you feel like you’ve taken a journey with your friends.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read anything by this author before but I will go check out her back catalogue. This was well written, well plotted, and I liked the main characters. No spoilers in this review. Dylan is a tough cop who inadvertently overhears something in a pub, understands its significance, and as a result is moved over to Major Crimes to help with a drug investigation. Brianna is a lawyer in the DA’s office who is guiding the squad on the legalities of their procedures. Neither Dylan nor Brianna are looking for a relationship...

The romance moves a bit quick but then it has to, to enable the story to develop. I felt the crime angle was underplayed and I’d have liked a bit more peril overall in the investigation. I did not like the character JJ but then I’m not supposed to, I guess, because she is written as very abrasive. She does give good advice though towards the end.

Dylan is very mixed up and her back story explains a lot of her insecurities and I did feel the push/pull/push elements of the story made sense given her baggage. Brianna seems a lot more sure of herself but is actually just as thrown by her developing feelings for Dylan. She also feels a moral dilemma of sending Dylan into danger and wonders if she is allowing her feelings to overshadow her judgement.

A solid read and, as I said, I will go see what else Ms Cummings has written as this shows a writer in control of her craft.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Briana Logan is going up or she certainly hopes so. Working as a AUSA ( Assistant United States Attorney) for a number of years working mainly in cooperation with the local police to put a stop to the drug trade that has led to at least one death that they know of. She has a best friend Stef, who thinks Briana doesn’t give enough time to her love life. Now she finds herself working with a new detective that joined her team that has her looking for perhaps a little fun. That’s all she wants.
Dylan Prescott has worked her way up in the police force, from a beat cop to a detective where she hopes to make her mark. She overhears some bad guys talking and when she brings this info to her sergeant he quickly passes on to the team working to emulate the drug trade in their city. When she is asked to join the team she’s excited by the challenge but when she meets the AUSA working with the team. Briana was the woman she flirted with just this weekend.
Now both are working on the case and trying to manage their attraction. They finally decide to just be lovers on the side. That’s before they start to spend some time together and in getting to know each other, all the while trying to keep their relationship secret.
Ms Cummings has written other books I had the chance to read but most of the time they didn’t keep me interested to the end. Not so with “Bulletproof’ easily the best book, in my opinion she has produced thus far. Great read. Very, very enjoyable.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

“I can’t even get into the effect you have on me. I think you know, but in case you don’t. I’m breaking all my own rules. I can’t seem to stop myself.

When her intuitions on a field job led to a breakthrough for the Major Case Division investigating into a narcotics ring, Dylan Prescott was transferred from Vice Division to assist the team. A hotshot both on the basketball court and with the ladies her world came to a halt when she met the lead prosecutor of the case she was assigned to.

Briana Logan was solely focused on her career. With dreams to be the Chief of the Criminal Bureau at the US Attorney Office one day, relationships have no bearing on her with women/men mere stress relievers.

When the main characters started to meet everywhere and were placed in the same workforce, the intensity of their mutual attraction made their attempts to walk away futile. After agreeing on a no commitment, no strings, no feelings fling, red flags began appearing with Dylan getting deeper in her involvement to crack the case and Briana’s inability to switch off her feelings.

This is a first read of the author’s for me. The romance element was a huge plus and really did it for me but thought the criminal aspect fell a little short.

I just reviewed Bulletproof by Maggie Cummings. #NetGalley

I enjoyed this book overall.
Most of the characters were interesting, easy to root for and be suspicious of others. I would have liked to have seen the bad guys developed a bit more, and seen a bit of their resolution. We never really see what happens to them. I also had unanswered questions that bothered me at 4 AM, what happens to JJ and Stef? Was JJ fooling around?
As much as I didn't understand Dylan's mindset 3/4 of the way through (read it, you'll understand), I was pleased with the way it ended.
This was my first book by this author, and I'll happily seek out more.

Thanks go to the author for the entertainment, and Bold Strokes & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book, it’s a satisfying four star read that in another release month might have led me to lean more towards a low five star, but compared to a couple of others this month it doesn’t quite reach there. I really loved how Cummings mixes the police operations with the relationship and romance side of things - and my favourite part of reading this was actually how much the relationship between the two MCs shines through.

Dylan is a detective for the NYPD working vice when she stumbles across a conversation in a bar and finds herself transferred to major crimes to make use of the information she’s learned. She has a reputation in her neighbourhood as a butch that’s down for no-strings attached. She meets Briana socially, they clearly have chemistry, and then they discover Briana is the AUSA on Dylan’s new case, putting the brakes on things.

I love it when I come across a book where the two main characters are depicted as not looking for relationships, then fall for each other. Cummings has done this aspect of the narrative really really well - delving deeply into the feelings experienced when someone has a reputation as a player and then finds themselves giving themselves to someone deeply. I really enjoyed the experiences of Dylan in this regard. I liked how their relationship softened Briana and showed her that career and love can happen.

There is the introduction of some secondary characters that are well written, but contribute to the angst, both in the workplace and in their personal lives. I appreciated the inclusion of a trans character - especially as Cummings didn’t pretend that this character would have had it easy in the police force.

Whilst the angst element of the book was done slightly differently within the normal tropes, and I can understand and empathise with Dylan’s feelings, the angst part of the book is the reason I can’t quite make it a five star, as I wanted them to fight for each other sooner.

I’d definitely recommend this one to romance fans and fans of cop based books in wlw fiction. I’m definitely going to be exploring more of Cummings’ work.

I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Reviews on this have all been pretty positive, which makes me regret that it wasn't up my alley like I thought it would be.
I found the pace a little slow. Not that I prefer stories on the shorter side, but it didn't feel like enough was happening, especially with the crime storyline. The characters were fine if a little forgettable. I didn't like Dylan from the start, and especially not when it came to the relationship angst later on, but this is what happens when both characters are angling for a casual relationship. No surprises there. They did have their sweet moments, but I wasn't entirely convinced that they belonged together.
The second storyline wasn't particularly captivating, which is unfortunate because I really enjoy a bit of crime. The characters talked about it as if it were a bigger deal than what we see on-page, which only served to let me down. I guess this is more realistic than the extreme high stakes that we're used to getting in our fiction, but that's part of the fun.
Three stars. Sorry.

Interesting law enforcement (police/lawyer) story. Major case squad, drugs investigation. Good storyline. Liked main characters interaction Enjoyed this book. Will give some 0f her other books a go.

I looked forward to this story with two strong female characters, a New York City Police Detective and an Assistant United States Attorney. Dylan Prescott meets Briana Logan and there is an instant attraction between them. When Dylan overhears information that may lead the department in the direction of a narcotic ring, she brings the information to her superior. She then finds herself temporarily assigned from vice to major crimes. At the first meeting, Briana attends in her official capacity as lead prosecutor and they both finally become aware of their occupations. The personal lives of Dylan and Briana seemed to be the major part of the story rather than the narcotic case. A pleasant story, but I would have liked to see more police action along with the romance. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Dylan is a detective with the NYPD and loves solving cases. She meets a woman named Brianna and learns that Brianna is an assistant us states attorney. Can they keep their relationship quiet while they try to solve a case? I enjoyed the different characters in this book.

Solid 4 Stars
‘Bulletproof’ is a sweet romance with a police/crime story on the side. The romance is the highlight of the story but the crime story is woven throughout as the main protagonists work together on the case.
Dylan works with the NYPD as a vice detective who overhears information that breaks open a major case. She is moved to the case and realizes the Assistant US Attorney over the case is the woman, Briana, she flirted with the day before. Their tentative plans to hook up later are halted as they now work together and Briana doesn’t like to mix pleasure and business.
This is fine at first as both Dylan and Briana are both very career oriented and have put having casual hookups over relationships up to this point. Dylan is known as the butch neighborhood stud with multiple women vying for her attention. Briana, a pansexual, is not interested in having a relationship, she’s just looking to have a good time and let off some steam. However, the sexual tension between them is off the charts and can’t be ignored and seems to grow with each interaction.
I thought the way Cummings navigates their growing attraction and feelings for each other was very natural and organic especially given the sort of high stakes (at times) situation they were in with their case. There was a bit of back and forth drama throughout from both beginning with if they should be in a relationship to trying to keep things hidden from the others on the squad. I liked that they were quick to communicate their issues for the most part. They dealt with things like jealousy with mostly humor and were able to work out their kinks fairly quickly. Well, until the “big drama” part started where I feel like they both let their pride get in the way a bit.
I’m not giving the story a full 5 stars because at about the 60% mark the story for me starts to lag and felt drawn out. It doesn’t last too long but I felt like a couple of chapters didn’t progress the story much aside from mentioning their jealousy of certain side characters, which had already been established. I also felt like Cummings was a bit too on the nose with the butch/femme stereotypes so that may be a more personal gripe of mine.
Overall, I really enjoyed ‘Bulletproof’ and as it was my first Maggie Cummings book, I truly can’t wait to read her other works. I highly recommend this for anyone who likes a little push/pull with their romance. There’s also some angst and jealousy deal with.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in an exchange for an honest review.

What a great book! Bulletproof starts out with two likeable characters, neither of whom were looking for a relationship. Despite the chemistry they realize they are suddenly going to be working together, so they are leery of acting on said chemistry. But you know what happens, they can't stay away from each other!

This is the perfect combination of romance and police story, with a nice juicy case that worries us just enough. At first I thought it might be a little long, but then decided that the details were so well fleshed out that I was good with it.

Maggie Cummings is certainly on her way to becoming the foremost authority of police procedural stories, and I'm here for it!

Well, that was unexpected! I thought this was going to be some crime oriented, less of a romance, thriller, but instead, I got a sweet, heart warming romance. It was a very pleasant surprise. I loved both Dylan and Brian a as characters, and I loved the whole relationship development. There were times where Dylan was almost too much in all that escorting home and being protective, but it's a minor thing and it's a personal taste, so it shouldn't impact the book rating.

AMAZING!! This is a sweet heartfelt romance between Detective Dylan Prescott and Briana Logan Assistant United States Attorney. Both the main characters are hard working, dedicated, focus and extremely good at their jobs. The chemistry between Dylan and Briana was so amazing. There was a bit of miscommunication sometimes but it was all so realistic. The story flowed smoothly and had me hooked from beginning to end. I would definitely recommend this book. 4.9 stars across the board.
I received an ARC copy for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books and Maggie Cummings : Bulletproof.