Series: Omega Sector (Book 3)
Posing as a married couple to save the world was easy compared to the very real feelings between them...
As Bob and Lisa Sinclair, Omega Sector agents Evan Karcz and Juliet Branson were a formidable couple--until a brutal attack left Juliet traumatized. But with a powerful crime boss selling military secrets, the safety of millions depends on the undercover operatives. It's up to Evan to rehabilitate Juliet...and not fail her as he did on the mission that still haunts him.
Evan's strategy is to be near Juliet night and day to practice posing as a loving couple. But soon he realizes there's a sizzling passion between them. And it's being threatened by forces stronger than they ever realized. With a killer stalking Lisa Sinclair, her "husband" knows he'd risk his cover--and his life--to protect her.
Good book with a well-done romance and terrific suspense. Evan and Juliet have known each other most of their lives, as Evan is friends with her brothers. All of them work for Omega Sector. Evan and Juliet were a great undercover team until a brutal attack left Juliet unwilling to go back undercover. She still struggles with the effects of that attack, though she puts up a good front. Evan also suffers from intense guilt because the attack happened on a mission together.
I ached so much for Juliet. What happened to her destroyed her confidence in herself and her ability to do the job she loved. She's convinced she would only be a liability if she went back undercover. Her fears were real and understandable and aggravated by something else that was going on in her life. I hurt for Evan also. He cares so much for her, and it kills him to see her so afraid. He believes that she is much stronger than she thinks, but supports her in whatever she needs. There's a terrific scene at the beginning where their boss tries to convince Juliet to go back in the field, and Evan and her brothers stand up for her wish to stay in the background. Her brothers aren't as convinced as Evan about her ability, and one brother attempted to prove his point. It didn't go well for him. And when unexpected trouble puts Evan in danger, Juliet takes a deep breath and does what she must to save him.
I loved the development of the relationship between Evan and Juliet. Evan is understanding and supportive as Juliet works her way through her fears. It helped that there was always an underlying trust in Juliet's relationship with Evan. As they prepared for their undercover roles, Evan's gentleness and patience were heartwarming to see, and Juliet's growing ease with him was encouraging. Underneath it all was an attraction that Evan tries to resist until Juliet makes it clear that she feels it too. The connection between them deepens with the intimacy and the need to rely on each other during the mission. Evan's timing for his declaration of his feelings was pretty amusing as was her reaction.
The suspense of the story was terrific. There are two things going on. The biggest is the need for Omega to keep the codes from falling into the wrong hands. A wrench was thrown into Evan's plans to go it alone when the bad guy made it clear that Evan's "wife" was to be there or there would be no deal. I was on the edge of my seat during the warehouse scene, wondering how Evan was going to get out of it. What happened was impressive and a complete shock to Evan. The intensity continued to build with the unexpected changes to the plan. Evan and Juliet's ability to adjust and adapt was fantastic. I cheered for Juliet when she dealt so decisively with the creepy son. Juliet's brilliance during the auction scene was amazing, and I loved how Evan turned it completely over to her. What happened next had me glued to the pages until it was resolved, afraid for both Juliet and Evan. I thoroughly enjoyed the way it played out.
Adding to Juliet's stress are the frightening emails that she has received. For a year she, as her undercover persona, has been electronically stalked by someone who knows all about what happened to her. He makes claims of taking care of her, providing the protection that her "husband" didn't and that he would see her soon. I ached for Juliet and her fear, and how it has made her a prisoner of those fears. I was frustrated with her for not going to anyone for help with those emails when Evan or her brothers would have jumped to help her. I was so happy when she finally opened up to Evan about what she was going through. Though Evan was certain that the emails had nothing to do with their current case, I wasn't so sure. That feeling strengthened when they were on the yacht. Though I suspected who it was from the moment he appeared, the details were pretty convoluted. I could feel Juliet's fear during their confrontation, and Evan's desperation to find her before it was too late. The teamwork displayed in finding and saving Juliet was great.
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