After a series of his ex-girlfriends die mysteriously, tracker and tech expert Liam Burnett vows to steer clear of romantic entanglements. But when he's assigned to work with Ria Connelly, unwanted feelings ambush Liam. And though he warns Ria that he's not looking for anything serious, the outwardly cheery bachelor can't help but fall for the beautiful teacher
With Cutter, the uncannily brilliant dog, the two collaborate to help a troubled student. Their discoveries of scandalous secrets provoke extreme danger. Only when a killer threatens Ria does Liam finally rethink his reluctance to care he must protect her at all costs. Could she be the one who breaks the girlfriend "jinx"?
This was another terrific Cutter's Code book. It opens with a blast from the past, as the young lady who was the inspiration for the start of the Foxworth Foundation, returns to ask for help for a friend. Emily is now sixteen, and she's worried about a classmate who recently lost his mother. Emily brought along one of her teachers, who is somewhat skeptical as this is not the type of thing Foxworth is known for. I loved Emily's background story and Quinn's heartfelt statement about what they do. Liam was also in on the meeting, as he had been with Cutter when the women arrived. I loved how Cutter made friends with Emily and Ria then turned around and gave his people "The Look."
I've always liked Liam, who is the upbeat, charming tracker and techie. He also has a unique history with Foxworth, as he was recruited after hacking into Foxworth's systems. Liam had been on a bad path until Quinn pulled him off it. He's been a valued member of the team ever since. He has also been known for laughing as his coworkers fell to Cutter's matchmaking schemes, but also steering clear of any relationships himself. Here we learn that he has had three romances in his past, and each one has ended with the death of the lady in question. Liam blames himself for each one, and won't allow himself to risk another's life.
I liked the development of the relationship between Liam and Ria. Their meeting was amusing as they are both immediately attracted. Ria's been burned in the past, but her attraction to Liam hit her hard. She has a great deal of trouble reining in her imagination whenever she looks at him. The effect on Liam is even stronger. I loved seeing him totally unable to concentrate, losing his place in conversations, and with his imagination running wild. Since they have to work together to get to the bottom of Dylan's problem, there are plenty of opportunities to get to know each other. I ached for Liam who fought his feelings all the way, certain that he is jinxed when it comes to love. I loved seeing Ria get past his walls and get him to open up to her about his past. I loved his shock when, instead of being disgusted with him, Ria shows her understanding and then gives him another point of view. I felt his fear when, after giving in to what was growing between them, Ria ended up in danger. I loved how she trusted him and the effect it had on him. His big moment at the end was fantastic. I loved seeing his vulnerability, and his determination to give Ria the space he thought she needed after what happened. The hope that grew in Ria's heart as she listened to him was terrific, and I loved her response.
The suspense of the story was really good. I loved that the Foxworth team was totally onboard with finding out what was happening with Dylan. It was great to see Liam use the various types of martial arts as the hook to get closer to him. The class demonstration was terrific, and the scene with the bully was great. As Dylan became more comfortable around Liam, it was easy for Liam to see that whatever was happening, it was wearing hard on Dylan. The scene when Liam took Dylan to pick up his little brother was heart-wrenching, as was the confrontation when Dylan's father arrived at the gym during one of the lessons. That also set Liam's alarms going off and gave him a direction for his investigation. What he found out was not really a surprise. When he and Ria set plans in motion, it triggers an unexpected reaction. I was on the edge of my seat (and up way past my bedtime) as I followed the action. I liked the realism of Liam's panic before he got himself under control and did what he does best. The final confrontation was intense and terrifying, and I ached for little Kevin. I loved Ria's trust that Liam would be there and her efforts to help. Cutter, of course, was awesome.
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