One Wild Night - Melissa Cutler (St. Martins - Mar 2017)

Series: One and Only Texas (Book 3)

Get ready for the ride of your life...

A cowgirl at heart, Skye Martinez has a rebellious streak she's determined to shake. Especially since she's poised to take the reins of her family's business at Briscoe Ranch Resort. It's time for her to settle down and get serious about her future...right after one last night of fun with a handsome stranger she meets in the resort's stable. But when a midnight horseback ride turns into a red-hot weekend with one of country music's biggest stars, Skye's world is rocked beyond her wildest dreams...

Gentry Wells rode his bad boy image all the way to the top of the country music charts. But churning out hits has dried up his creativity, and he can't remember the last time his life was his own. Skye is a sexy distraction he can't resist, especially since she breathes new life into his music. They bring out the wild side in each other, which is great for Gentry's career―but a major threat to Skye's. Too bad he's fallen in love with her. With their hearts and futures on the line, can Gentry convince Skye to turn their joyride into a real chance to ride off into the sunset together?

Very good story about two people at crossroads in their lives. Skye is the assistant manager of her family's housekeeping business at the Briscoe Ranch Resort. She's decided that she's ready to settle down with a good man and have those children she's always wanted. She's desperate enough to let her mother cast a love spell to get her the perfect man. The problem is, there's a wild streak inside her that keeps getting in the way of her good intentions. Just as she lectures herself about what she needs to do, she encounters a hot cowboy and decides to put off her plans for one more night. That hot cowboy is none other than Gentry Wells, country music star well-known for his bad boy antics and his belief that he is not the settling down type. But that life is starting to wear a little thin and has affected his songwriting mojo. A late night trail ride with a pretty woman provides him with a distraction and inspiration.

The first encounter between Skye and Gentry was great. Gentry is looking for some peace of mind, away from the current mess of his career. Riding has always been his escape, so he sneaks off to the resort stables for a late night ride, where he meets Skye. The sparks between them are strong, but Skye is determined not to give in. She doesn't expect to see him again, but the next day they end up working together to help a desperate bride and groom elope. It doesn't take much effort for Gentry to talk Skye into coming along. He senses the wild streak in her, even though she tries hard to deny it. He pulls out all the stops to give her that wild night. Skye feels safe giving in to Gentry because he doesn't meet any of her requirements for her forever man. She can have her wild night and walk away with no regrets, and forget all about it. Only it doesn't work out that way.

The development of the relationship between Gentry and Skye was not an easy one. In Skye, Gentry discovers the inspiration he needs to revitalize his music career. He can't stop thinking about her, and the words and music flow. But the longer he's away from her, the more the inspiration fades. He fights against the realization that Skye fills a hole in his life, one that he doesn't want to admit to. Skye can't forget Gentry either, and she fights it even harder. She continues to look for a man that meets all her qualifications, even though none of them come anywhere close to creating any passion in her heart. When Gentry unexpectedly returns to Dulcet, needing to reconnect with Skye, she can't resist him. I loved seeing them reconnect, with the attraction between them burning as strong as ever. 

But fate intervenes in a way that turns their lives upside down. I ached for both of them in this part. Skye is convinced that everything that happened is her fault because she went against everything that she had been raised to believe. Unexpected news sends her running scared, and she pushes Gentry away with every bit of determination she can. She doesn't want to think about him or the mess that her life has become. Gentry's life is also upended, throwing his entire future into question. It has also been a wake-up call for him, and he realizes that he wants more out of his life. I loved seeing him figure out what he had to do, and then follow through on that knowledge. I loved the way that he gave Skye the space that she demanded while continuing to prepare for his siege against her objections. The scene between Skye and her grandmother is great, as Skye finally realized that she'd been fighting against herself. I especially enjoyed her amazement at everything that Gentry has done to show his love for her. There's still one more battle to fight, and that's the one with her family, especially her mother. The scene at the church was fantastic with the way that Skye finally stands up to family expectations and goes after what she wants. There's an incredibly emotional scene at the hospital that really showed the depth of the love between Skye and Gentry. The epilogue was a terrific glimpse into how their lives have changed.

Like the earlier books, this one has some really fun moments that lighten up some of the darkness. Skye's grandmother, Mama Lita is a hoot with her anti-men attitude and attempts to get Skye to be herself. My favorite part was when Gentry was auditioning locals for his backup band. Mama Lita was a riot, as was Granny June. The guitar player was also unexpected, and Gentry's reaction to the three of them was priceless. 

One More Taste - Melissa Cutler (St. Martins - Oct 2016)

Series: One and Only Texas (Book 2)

If you can’t take the heat...

Chef Emily Ford has the talent and ambition to make it in the cutthroat culinary world―which is why she refuses to accept her demotion at the hands of Knox Briscoe, the new CEO of Briscoe Ranch Resort. He has grand plans that include bringing in a celebrity chef to helm an exciting new restaurant at the resort, but Emily has plans of her own―to do whatever it takes to change his mind…

ONE MORE TASTE

Cut out of the Briscoe fortune by an old feud that left his family in ruins, Knox grew up dreaming of revenge. Out-maneuvering his uncle for control of Briscoe Ranch is merely the first step in a grand plan that doesn’t include the brazen and beautiful Emily Ford…or the attraction that sizzles between them. With both their futures on the line, can they keep their desires on simmer―or are they headed from the frying pan straight into the fire?

This is the second book in the series and has as much fun and emotional turmoil as the first book (One Hot Summer). Emily is the brilliant chef at the Briscoe ranch. She has been there for ten years, working her way up from night shift line cook to head chef for events. She has plans for her own restaurant at the resort, plans that have already been approved by Ty. She's stunned when a new investor in the resort makes it clear that his plans don't include hers.

Knox Briscoe is Ty's nephew, the son of Ty's brother. A family feud cut Knox's family out of any involvement in the ranch. Now Knox has the funds to rescue the ranch from ruin - and carry out the revenge he's been planning for years. He will turn the ranch around and then sell it out from under the family that disowned his. He didn't count on a chef that challenges everything he believes.

I really liked both Emily and Knox. Emily is strong, passionate, and intuitive. In the first book, she came across as prickly and a loner. In this book, we learn more about her background and what has made her the person she is. The strength of will and determination she had to overcome her past and make something for herself was incredible. Those same trials she experienced made her extremely intuitive when it came to reading people, and I loved the way that it enhanced her ability to match food with people. Past experience has also convinced her that love and relationships are something she doesn't need or want. Knox is determined and angry, yet he loves his family. He has come to Briscoe ranch with one goal, and he doesn't plan to let anything change his mind. He also has a soft side that makes its appearance at surprising times.

I loved the development of the relationship between Emily and Knox. It started with a confrontation, as Knox and Emily clashed over his plans for a five-star restaurant and her plans that had already been approved by Ty. Emily had gone all out in preparing a meal for Knox, and his attitude of "food is fuel and that's all" made her mad and determined to show him otherwise. I loved his challenge to Emily that she become his personal chef for four weeks to convince him. It was especially satisfying because he hadn't taken into account the sparks that flew between them. Emily cooking for him put her in a position to create all kinds of distractions. I loved Emily's determination to convince him, and her belief that to do it properly she had to get to know him. I loved the effects that her meals had on him, and the way that Knox began to look forward to those meals. While their attraction continued to simmer and build, they also grew closer and began to share things they'd never shared with anyone else. I loved seeing how his time with Emily filled a need that Knox hadn't realized he had. Emily also changes, becoming more willing to take risks in her personal life. The attraction between them became explosive and intense and made it more difficult to keep private and professional lives separate. I ached for Emily when she realized that there were issues that made it impossible for her to continue as they were. While her fears made her run, they also motivated her to confront her past. I hurt for Knox also and loved that he cared enough to give her the space she needed. I loved the scene at her apartment building, between Knox and Murphy, and what it showed about both Knox and Emily. Her return came at the same time as more family drama. I loved the way she was there to support Knox through it. Their big moment together was emotional and romantic.

Throughout the book, there was also the question of what caused the rift between Knox's father and the rest of the family. Having been brought up by his dad, whose bitterness over it was a constant in Knox's life, it was no surprise that Knox's desire for revenge was so strong. The more time he spent at the ranch, the more he got the feeling that some things didn't add up. I loved seeing him get closer to Granny June and his cousins. His belief in Haylie was important, even though it started with less than noble intentions. Knox began to question himself about his plans but was determined to stay the course. I understood more about his feelings as more information about the resort and its condition came to light. In the first book, Ty was shown to be a manipulative man. In this book, his actions are even worse, making him thoroughly unlikeable. There were some surprising twists and turns, both with Knox's plans for the resort and with the truth about the rift. The emotional turmoil of it all was incredible and I ached so much for Knox as it all came out. Knox's feelings about the resort itself also underwent some changes and created some unexpected drama. The issue had a somewhat surprising resolution, but one that was quite satisfying.

As in the first book, there were some laugh out loud moments in this one. I especially enjoyed the unusual element of Knox's haunted truck. The headaches that truck caused him were pretty funny, as were the times of watching Knox's conversations with his father via the truck. I also had to laugh at the contests between Knox and the giant carp that he named "Phantom."

One Hot Summer - Melissa Cutler (St. Martins - Apr 2016)

Series: One and Only Texas (Book 1)

Welcome to Dulcet, Texas, home of the legendary Briscoe Ranch Resort, where one woman will discover that even love is bigger in the Lone Star State.

Celebrity wedding planner Remedy Lane is Hollywood royalty―until a scandal sends her packing to the wilds of Texas. She has a knack for leaving disaster in her wake, but she’s determined to reboot her career at Briscoe Ranch, a luxury resort known for extravagant weddings. Little does she know that weddings don’t happen at the resort without the approval of the town’s cowboy-swaggering, too-hot-for-his-own-good fire chief, Micah Garrity.

ONE HOT SUMMER

Micah knows trouble when he sees it, and all it takes is one glimpse of Remedy’s princess airs for him to know he’s met his match. Too bad he can’t stop thinking about her―even when she brings about one disaster after another at the resort. He and Remedy clash at every turn, but they can’t stop the sparks flying between them. They come from such different worlds―does love stand a chance or will this fire burn too hot for either of them to handle?

This was a very fun book that had me hooked from the first few pages. It's an opposites attract, city girl/country boy story full of fun, chemistry, and emotion. Remedy is a California girl, daughter of two famous Hollywood personalities, who had a terrific job as an event planner until a high-profile wedding went disastrously wrong. Now she's working at a Texas resort as their event coordinator, just until she can repair her reputation and go back home. The only fly in the ointment is fire chief/marshal Micah Garrity.

Micah is a born and bred Texan who has lived in Dulcet all his life. He takes his job very seriously. He is a stickler for the rules, and his no fraternization policy between the fire department and resort staff is designed to keep anyone from blurring the lines. Protecting his family, friends, and town is a big part of who he is.

I liked the development of the relationship between Remedy and Micah. Though they butt heads from the start, with each of them having preconceived ideas that need to be overcome. Remedy sees Micah as a small-town redneck, drunk on his power to make things difficult for the resort. Micah sees Remedy as a Hollywood princess, with a sense of entitlement and no idea what real life is like. But underneath the antagonism is an attraction that neither wants to admit and makes it impossible for them to stay away from each other. I loved seeing Remedy stand up to Micah calling him out on his attitude toward her when he doesn't know the real her. At the same time, Micah gets her to really look at the town and people of Dulcet. I loved seeing Remedy get involved in that "townie" wedding and what an eye-opening experience it was for her. The more time that Micah and Remedy spent together, the closer they grew. Through her relationship with Micah, Remedy began to feel at home in Dulcet and think about what it would be like to stay. Micah was a little freaked out by the frequency with which he hoped that Remedy wouldn't leave.

There were problems to overcome. Remedy's unfortunate ability to be a magnet for disaster put her at the center of several conflicts between Micah and the resort. With Micah's overworked feelings of responsibility, these incidents added more bricks to the load of guilt that he already carries. Remedy's boss is a manipulative man who threatens Micah's job and wants to use Remedy's family connections to boost the resort. Things take a real downward spiral when Hollywood friends of Remedy's want her to plan their wedding, and their attitudes are over-the-top obnoxious. Add in the surprise appearance of Remedy's parents, and she's faced with the realization that she has changed. I ached for Remedy with the way that her parents treated her. I liked the way that Micah was so supportive of Remedy through most of the conflict, but then he blew it with a really boneheaded move. His insecurities and fears bubbled up and caused him to be needlessly cruel to Remedy. After getting chewed out by his friend Xavier, Micah redeemed himself with an excellent and romantic groveling scene. The ending was fantastic and an excellent way to bring the story full circle.

I loved the humor in this book. I was hooked from the start by the rampaging elephant with a thing for golf. There were homing pigeons pretending to be doves, who also appeared to stalk Remedy. I loved Granny June and her matchmaking attempts, and her feisty spirit. I laughed out loud at Micah's family's Power Wheels race and Remedy's part in it. Even the disasters that stalked Remedy had their laugh-out-loud moments. 

Forbidden Night with the Highlander - Michelle Willingham (HH #1364 - Feb 2018)

Series: Warriors of the Night (Book 2)

The handsome Highlander who seduced her…

…is the very man she must marry!

In this Warriors of the Night story, Lianna MacKinnon seeks to avoid her betrothal to a Norman lord by giving herself to an intriguing stranger. But afterward, she discovers her sensual lover is none other than Rhys de Laurent -- her betrothed -- in disguise! They’ve already had their wedding night… Now there’s no escaping their marriage vows!

Good book. This one is about Rhys de Laurent, older brother of Warrick from the first book in the series (Forbidden Night with the Warrior). Parts of this book take place at the same time as the first book, filling in a few blank spaces. In this book, it is time for Rhys to follow through on the long-standing betrothal between himself and Lianna. He doesn't want to live in Scotland, so far away from his home and family, but he is a man of honor and will do what he must - though he does contemplate getting his brother to marry her instead. His qualms are not eased when he speaks to her father and learns that Lianna wants no part of marrying a Norman. He goes along with her father's suggestion that he get to know her without revealing his identity, but he doesn't like the deception. Lianna is an unusual woman and is considered odd by her clansmen. She loves her people and constantly worries about their health and welfare. She knows that if she doesn't go through with the marriage, it could mean starvation and exile for them. When she meets a handsome stranger, she is nervous at first but also attracted. Part of her feels that he may be the answer to her prayers.

The development of the relationship between Lianna and Rhys was very turbulent. The sparks flew between them from the moment they met. Rhys was as fascinated as he was attracted, and no longer thought of giving her up. Lianna was attracted but also felt guilty because of her betrothal to Rhys. She was also desperate to escape the marriage, and when she sees the opportunity to do so, gives in to the passion she feels for her stranger, thinking she will no longer be wanted by Rhys. I liked Rhys's discomfort with his deception and how he tried to tell her the truth before passion took over. To say that Lianna wasn't happy when she found out the truth would be putting it mildly. Things go from bad to worse when Lianna's older brother attempts to kill Rhys and his men and is killed himself. Lianna is beside herself with grief and anger, making her even more set against her marriage.

I ached for Rhys, who had begun to care for Lianna. I loved the way that he saw how much she did for her people and how disturbed he was by the way they treated her. He tried in so many ways to treat her well and show her the respect he thought she deserved. When they left to go to his home in England for the wedding, Lianna still treated him like pond scum. I was very frustrated with her during their time in England. She held herself away from everyone and was pretty rude to people who wanted to make her feel welcome. Even though she could see that Rhys was a good man who cared for his people, just as she cared for hers, her stubbornness would not let her give in. Eventually, the attraction between them worked a bit of a truce, and Lianna finally began to loosen up. By the time they returned to Scotland, things were looking up for them. Unfortunately, her people hadn't forgiven him for the death of her brother, and Lianna found herself caught between the two sides. Some ill-spoken words by Lianna were overheard by Rhys, putting them at odds once again.

Another trip back to England gives Lianna the opportunity to make things right with Rhys, but now he is the one resisting. His pride has been hurt and he doesn't want to risk being hurt again. Rhys also has some trust issues stemming from some things that happened when he was a child. When Lianna's behavior towards him changes so drastically, he doesn't know whether to believe it or if she is trying to manipulate him. I loved seeing the difference in her attitude and seeing her make her own mark on her new home. I liked the progress she made toward repairing her relationship with Rhys, especially with what happened in the cellar and how it brought them closer together. When a crisis in Scotland sends Rhys riding to the rescue, Lianna must decide whether to follow her heart or her husband's orders. The conclusion was intense, with some very surprising and satisfying twists.

 

Make Me Love You - Johanna Lindsey (Pocket - Jan 2017)

One duel could be considered a matter of honor, but three duels are attempted murder! With enlightened society outraged at such reckless behavior among young noblemen, the Prince Regent orders Robert Whitworth, the earl of Tamdon’s heir, and Lord Dominic Wolfe to end their dispute by allying their families through marriage. Whichever party refuses to comply will forfeit his lands and title.

Whitworth relishes the idea of sending his younger sister Brooke to his enemy’s remote estate. He knows the Wolf will reject her as a bride, thereby losing his wealth and status. The Wolf, however, is determined to scare away the Whitworth chit. With dueling no longer an available means of destroying the man he abhors, he will be satisfied to see him lose his lands and title. But he hadn’t expected his enemy’s sister to be so resourceful or resilient.

Brooke Whitworth has been dreaming of her first Season in London because she intends to win a husband who will take her far away from her unloving family. Instead, she is being sent to the Yorkshire moors to wed a mysterious nobleman whose family is cursed and who has thrice tried to kill her brother. But there’s no room in her heart for fear; this man is her means of escape. She will make him love her!

Good book that I read in one sitting. After three duels between Robert Whitworth and Dominic Wolfe, the Prince Regent has had enough. He orders that Robert's sister Brooke marry Dominic, expecting that will end the feud. If either party refuses the marriage, that family will lose their lands and titles. Neither Brooke's father nor her brother have any good feelings about her and are more than happy to send her off to the wilds of Yorkshire to marry Dominic. They are certain he'll refuse her, therefore losing his lands. Neither of them has any idea how happy she is to get away from them, and how determined she is to make the marriage work.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Brooke and Dominic. He's as determined as Robert to prevent the marriage from happening and plans to do everything he can to drive Brooke away. When Brooke arrives, Dominic still suffers from the wound he received in the last duel, which has made him even grumpier than usual. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Brooke stand up to him, especially when it came to treating his injury. There is also a spark of attraction underneath the antagonism. This is extra motivation for Brooke, as she sees it as a hopeful sign. Dominic is not happy about being attracted to his enemy's sister and works hard to resist it. But he finds himself admiring her spunk and determination, which makes it harder for him to push her away. I liked how Brooke took every opportunity to spend time with Dominic and show him what they could have together. Her persistence begins to pay off as Dominic accepts that the marriage will happen. A couple of nights alone under unusual circumstances brings the attraction to a head and a lift to Brooke's heart.

But fate sends Brooke and Dominic back to London before the marriage takes place. Brooke has realized the depth of her feelings for Dominic and wants him to be happy. The bargain that she offers him will give him what she thinks he wants. Dominic hasn't quite accepted his feelings for her but does know that what she offers isn't what he wants. I enjoyed the ball scene with all its complexity. Brooke's meeting with her mother was fraught with awkwardness, mostly caused by Brooke, but showed that things aren't always what they seem. I laughed at Brooke's attempts to direct things the way she thinks they ought to go as they somewhat backfire on her. The dances with Brooke and Dominic were terrific and showed the fire that burns between them. I liked how he realized that he didn't want the bargain she offered, and his method of playing along was pretty funny. There's unexpected interference at the end that pulls them apart. I ached for Brooke, who only wanted Dominic. I wanted to shake him because it seemed that he was letting the past keep him from admitting his feelings for Brooke. But he won me over in the end with the reasons he stayed away. I loved his big moment at the end.

The story of the feud between Dominic and Robert was good. I completely understood Dominic's anger and determination to make Robert pay. I ached for Dominic and his pain over the loss of the sister he loved. His grief affected him so deeply. I liked seeing hints of the old Dominic come out during his time with Brooke. I loved the way that Brooke wanted to ease his grief and the lengths she went to do so. There were some very interesting twists and turns as Brooke uncovered the story of Ella's death.

Although the book kept me hooked from beginning to end, it didn't have the intensity of some of her other works. The Malory books, especially the earlier ones, were more exciting. I liked their conflicts of personalities. The conflicts in this one were not as strong and seemed to be more easily resolved.

 

Scandalously Expecting His Child - Olivia Gates (HD #2345 - Dec 2014)

Series: Billionaires of Black Castle (Book 2)

Self-made billionaire Raiden Kuroshiro escaped a dark past vowing to reclaim his heritage. But when the woman who once betrayed him returns, his desire for her threatens his plans. So he swears he'll purge her from his system and be done with her…

Scarlett Delacroix believes she's sinned beyond forgiveness. So she accepts Raiden's offer of temporary passion as her last chance with him. Then she becomes pregnant. But she and her baby have no place in Raiden's future -- unless he walks away from all he's ever wanted…

Good book with some very intense emotions. Raiden is on the verge of gaining everything he has worked for during the last ten years. Taken as children and forced to work for organized crime, Raiden and his "brothers" finally escaped. They all swore to do whatever necessary to bring down those that harmed them and save others from the same fate. Raiden also wants to reclaim his heritage and is about to enter the highest echelons of Japanese society through marriage. It doesn't matter to him that there is no love between them, only understanding. Then, the night of his engagement party, the one woman he's never forgotten reappears in his life.

Five years earlier, Raiden and Scarlett had met under different circumstances. Their attraction was explosive, and they couldn't stay away from each other. Raiden opened up to her in a way that he hadn't with anyone else, until the day he discovered it was all a lie. Furious at the betrayal, and helpless to do anything about it, they parted ways, but Raiden has never forgotten her. Though she looks completely different now, Raiden knows that this is the same woman. Determined to purge her from his system, he proposes a short affair.

Scarlett had her own reasons for her actions back then, ones that haunt her to this day. She never expected him to recognize her, but since he has she accepts his proposal as a way to make amends. It's also her last chance to make memories that will have to last her a lifetime. But she has secrets from her past that could drastically change everything he believes about her.

I really liked both Raiden and Scarlett. Raiden has a well-earned reputation for ruthlessness, but he isn't a cruel man. Though he doesn't love Megumi, he still treats her with kindness and respect. Because of what he's been through he guards his emotions, with his "brothers" being the only ones who know all of him. Scarlett is an amazing woman. She has reinvented herself so many times that she frequently wonders if she knows who she really is. My heart broke for her as her past was slowly revealed.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Raiden and Scarlett. There was no denying the explosive chemistry between them. But along with that chemistry was a deeper connection. Being with Scarlett made Raiden feel again, something he wasn't too sure he was happy about. As his feelings for Scarlett deepened, Raiden also needed his questions answered. I ached for Scarlett as she shared a small part of what had brought them together, and the guilt she feels because of it. An unexpected twist comes when Raiden asks one of his brothers to do a full investigation into her past. I was brought to tears as her full story was revealed and Raiden learned of the horrors she'd been through. His support of Scarlett as she confessed all was fantastic. I had to laugh at his actions when she fainted, even as they revealed the depth of his feelings for her. But there are still some serious obstacles to them having a future together. I loved the fierceness of the other men of Black Castle as they banded together to help Raiden. I loved how everything came together at the end, with an especially fun scene to close it out.

 

SEAL of Honor - Tonya Burrows (Entangled - June 2013)

Series: HORNET (Book 1)

It’s a good thing Gabe Bristow lives and breathes the Navy SEAL credo, "the only easy day was yesterday,” because today, his life is unrecognizable. When his prestigious career comes to a crashing halt, he’s left with a bum leg and few prospects for employment that don’t include a desk.

That is, until he’s offered the chance to command a private hostage rescue team and free a wealthy American businessman from Colombian paramilitary rebels. It seems like a good deal -- until he meets his new team: a drunk Cajun linguist, a boy-genius CIA threat analyst, an FBI negotiator with mob ties, a cowboy medic, and an EOD expert as volatile as the bombs he defuses. Oh, and who could forget the sexy, frustratingly impulsive Audrey Van Amee? She’s determined to help rescue her brother -- or drive Gabe crazy. Whichever comes first.

As the death toll rises, Gabe’s team of delinquents must figure out how to work together long enough to save the day. Or, at least, not get themselves killed. Because Gabe’s finally found something worth living for, and God help him if he can’t bring her brother back alive.

This book sucked me in from the beginning and didn't let go until I'd turned the last page. The book opens with the kidnapping of an American businessman in Columbia, setting up the mission for the soon-to-be-formed hostage rescue team. The story then shifts to Gabe, who is floundering with what to do now that he can no longer be a SEAL. I liked this introduction to Gabe as we get the first insights into what makes him who he is. I loved Gabe's brother Raffi. He obviously knows Gabe very well and how to get Gabe headed in the right direction. Raffi made me laugh with his over-the-top actions, but I also loved his confidence in himself and willingness to go after his own dreams. Gabe loves his brother and also has a great deal of respect for him, so he does listen to what Raffi has to say. The conversation with his friend Quinn a short time later, and the introduction to the man funding the new team, showed exactly why Gabe is the leader they want.

This team is unlike any other I've encountered in similar books. They are a group of misfits, each one having reasons for leaving their previous occupations. Their sniping at each other gets on Gabe's nerves very quickly, and I could understand his frustration. If he can't get them to work together, they won't have much of a chance at rescuing Bryson. I liked seeing these men learn to respect each other and trust each other's capabilities. Not to say it was easy. There were definitely some tense moments as they push their boundaries with each other and with Gabe. There were also some pretty funny moments, especially once Audrey was added to the mix.

Audrey is Bryson's sister and was on the phone with him when he was taken. She was the instigator of getting the FBI involved, but she also gets frustrated with their inaction. She is an artist, feisty and independent, and a bit of a free spirit. When she isn't happy with the FBI's actions, she takes matters into her own hands and goes to Colombia herself, where she promptly collides with Gabe and his team. The team's issues with working as a team are highlighted in this encounter, where Audrey nearly gets the best of them. Unwilling to leave her behind and in danger, they take her back to the safe house, where she flatly refuses to go home before her brother is rescued. The confrontation between Audrey and Gabe is pretty funny, as he desperately needs her ability to speak the language and is just as desperately determined to keep her far away from him.

The sparks between Gabe and Audrey are immediate and combustible. Gabe is determined to resist because getting involved with her would be unprofessional. Too bad for him that she's not on the same page. When they end up separated from the others, they are forced to rely on each other. The intense danger that they are in ramps up the intensity of the chemistry between them. There are some excellent scenes of the combustibility between them. There is also plenty of evidence that what they have is more than just chemistry. As willingly as Audrey accepts her feelings for Gabe, he is a harder nut to crack. The depth of his feelings for her scares him, and when the mission is over, he runs. I thoroughly enjoyed his misery, as he brought it on himself, and it takes something of an intervention by Quinn to wake him up to his idiocy. I liked his big moment, which had a decent amount of groveling.

The suspense of the story was great. This was not your well-trained super team going after the bad guy. These guys all have their issues, but each one is very good at what he does. But they have quite a few challenges to carrying out their mission, from lack of equipment to attitude problems. It was easy to feel their frustration at the initial difficulty of coming up with any leads. Audrey's arrival and the information she had gave them somewhere to start. Things got really intense when Gabe and Audrey were taken by guerillas and ended up in the middle of a confrontation between two groups. There are quite a few twists and turns before they get out of that mess. Meanwhile, the rest of the team is still looking for Bryson. The rescue mission is quite intense, with things not quite going to plan (they rarely do). There's still one twist left to deal with, and that is who was behind the kidnapping in the first place. The conclusion was exciting and intense, and Audrey was fantastic. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.