Operation Notorious - Justine Davis (HRS #1973 - Dec 2017)

Series: Cutter's Code (Book 9)

Katie Moore’s small town is rocked when her best friend is brutally murdered -- and her father becomes the prime suspect. Her dad’s only chance is Gavin de Marco, an attorney who doesn’t trust anything or anyone. Now Gavin is probing secrets heartbroken Katie didn’t know she had -- and sparking an attraction neither can resist.

Betrayal taught Gavin to ruthlessly expose the truth -- and he’s certain Katie is hiding something. Still, her fiery warmth is challenging his defenses every step of the way, making it impossible to stay out of her arms. But surviving a killer’s insidious scheme could shatter any shot he and Katie have at justice -- or a future…

Terrific book. It opens with Quinn getting a call from his sister at their office in St. Louis. She's sending attorney Gavin de Marco to him (presumably before she does something drastic) and for Quinn to find something for him to do. I loved his and Hayley's confidence that one of them can get to the bottom of Gavin's issues, and if not them, Cutter most definitely could. We also learn that Gavin has no use for liars of any kind. I loved his arrival at the Foxworth's and his realization that they didn't have a case for him, just before Cutter came into the house. Cutter has a cell phone in his mouth, which he takes right to Gavin. As they speculate about the phone's owner, the bell rings, and it is Katie Moore, who chased after the phone thief. As soon as she's in the house, Cutter sits at her feet and gives his people "The Look."

Katie moved to town six months earlier, to escape the memories of the death of her best friend, Laurel. She had discovered Laurel's body in their apartment, where she had been brutally murdered. Katie still suffers from nightmares, and desperately misses her friend. To top it all off, she just found out that her father has become the police's number one suspect. She's worried about her dad because he doesn't seem too concerned, but she senses that he could be in trouble. She's stunned when Cutter leads her right to the person that could help her.

As always, it's fun to see the reactions when Cutter does his doggy magic. Gavin is a little quicker to pick up on it simply because he's been with Foxworth long enough to be aware of Cutter's reputation. Katie is more skeptical, at least at the beginning. She has experience of his therapeutic benefits but is unaware of his more professional talents. I also enjoyed seeing him immediately start in on his matchmaking plans.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Katie and Gavin. There are sparks of attraction from the get-go, but both try to fight them. Gavin is very cynical about people in general and tends to see the bad in them. Katie, on the other hand, sees the best in people first. As they work together to find out the truth about Laurel's murder, Gavin and Katie have the opportunity to get to know each other. I liked seeing Katie break through some of Gavin's walls. Her kindness and compassion made it possible for Gavin to share things from his past that have made him the man he is. Gavin is a bit freaked out by the way his feelings for Katie grow. He found himself protective of her and worried about how she'll take it if they find her father is guilty after all, something he's never done before. His cynicism gets in the way of their relationship at times, when he suspects her of lying and/or covering up important information. I ached for Katie at the end, when she was confronted by the lies that were told, and the effect it had on her belief in people. I loved Gavin's big moment, when he realized the depth of his feelings for her, and how much she had changed him. I loved seeing the ruthless, cynical lawyer made vulnerable by love.

The suspense of the story was very good. At the beginning, it was very easy to see why the police were focused on Katie's dad. Gavin's involvement upped the stakes for everyone involved. I loved his attention to detail and the intensity with which he tackled the investigation. His interview with Katie's dad was interesting and added a bit of doubt to Steven's innocence. Both Gavin and Cutter could tell that Steven was hiding something. Thanks to his reputation, Gavin's being involved in the case stirred up some trouble. This became clear when Gavin was attacked by a knife-wielding assailant and later run off the road. Evidence and circumstances pointed to Katie's dad. The resulting confrontation had some unexpected twists that changed Gavin's view of some things. But it was the information that Gavin received from Quinn that put the final pieces of the puzzle together. I loved how Gavin, Katie, Cutter, and the rest of the folks from Foxworth came together to bring the killer to justice.

I can't wait to see what is next for the folks at the Foxworth Foundation. At the very least Cutter still has Charlie, Tyler, and Rafe to find the perfect partners for.

 

Operation Alpha - Justine Davis (HRS #1937 - Mar 2017)

Series: Cutter's Code (Book 8)

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.

Operation Soldier Next Door - Justine Davis (HRS #1920 - Nov 2016)

Series: Cutter's Code (Book 7)

Instead of a peaceful homecoming, wounded warrior Tate McLaughlin faces an explosion, near-electrocution and Cutter, an incredibly smart dog. Worse, the sexy veteran needs Lacy -- the pretty girl next door -- to leave him alone! He's been hurt too many times to risk his heart again.

To Lacy Steele, it's apparent that the attacks on her neighbor were no accident. Someone is after him, but his damaged memory offers no clue who! But as they investigate, Lacy finds an intimacy with Tate neither of them have ever known. And it's that bond -- and secrets from his deployment -- that threaten his life and heart.

Fantastic book co-starring one of my favorite doggy characters. It started with a bang - or should I say boom - and kept me hooked from beginning to end. Tate has just arrived in town, fresh out of four months in the hospital recovering from injuries received from an IED. He hopes for some peace of mind, moving into the house that his beloved grandfather left to him. Instead, during his first night in the house, he was awakened by an explosion that could have killed him and brought the unexpected into his life.

I loved the vivid pictures and impressions of those first few hours. I could see Tate standing there in his skivvies, staring in stunned disbelief while suffering from the effects of the explosion. The sudden appearance of his neighbor, who tries to talk to him, but he can't hear her. I could feel Lacy's concern for the man she's heard so much about. Being familiar with Cutter from previous books, I was not at all surprised to see his subtle maneuvering of Tate, nor was I surprised that he sensed that Tate was in trouble.

I loved both Tate and Lacy. Lacy is strong, independent, and has a huge heart. She was good friends with Tate's grandfather and had heard countless stories about Tate, so she was predisposed to like him when she met him. I loved her understanding of Tate's prickliness and that she rarely took it personally. I especially liked that she didn't give up on him. Tate was quite a grump at the beginning. It was hard to see his rudeness to everyone around him until the reasons became clear. He's a good man underneath but dealing with so much loss as affected his outlook. He could see what he was doing; he just had a hard time doing anything about it. I ached for him and his early reactions around Cutter because he missed his working dog from overseas so much it hurt.

I loved the development of Tate and Lacy's relationship, especially that it happened over a reasonable length of time, rather than just a few days. Both of them had bad relationships in their pasts, making them wary of getting involved with anyone else. I loved the way each of them noticed and reacted to the other, and their mental chastising of Martin for not warning them of the attractiveness of the other. Tate has a pretty rough time adjusting to being back around "normal" people. I loved how Lacy had such a good sense of just how far she could push Tate to get him to cooperate/participate. It was great to see how it was their mutual love for Tate's grandfather that helped ease their way. I adored Cutter's matchmaking actions as he guided them along the path he intended them to follow, even if they were oblivious (though Lacy caught on faster than Tate did). This exchange was fantastic:

“Lacy, Tate, meet Tyler Hewitt, our resident tech genius,” Quinn said.

"Tyler, Lacy Steele and Tate McLaughlin.”

"Hi,” the young man said. “You’re Cutter’s latest, huh?”

"Tate is,” Lacy corrected him.

Tyler grinned, shifted his gaze to Hayley.

"They don’t know yet, huh?”

"Don’t even,” she warned him. “Way too early.” “Yeah, yeah,” he said, but he was still grinning. Obviously an inside joke, Lacy thought.

The more time that they spent together, the deeper their connection grew. There were times that Tate tried to fight it, but it was a losing battle. I loved seeing Tate's tenseness dissipate, and how he started picturing Lacy in his future.  There was also a feeling of protectiveness on both sides. It was Lacy who got the Foxworths involved because she was worried about Tate's safety. As the danger increased, Tate's concern for Lacy grew, especially after the ferry incident. The ending was fantastic, as Lacy's love knocked down the last of the walls around his heart. I loved his gift for Lacy and how it showed the depth of his love and how well he understood her. Lacy had her own surprise for Tate that had me sniffling right along with the characters.

The suspense of the story was outstanding and kept me just as hooked as the romance did. The beginning was intense, with the explosion and suspicion that it was intentional, followed by the attempted electrocution. I liked the way that the Foxworth's made themselves available to help, but didn't push (they left that up to Cutter and Lacy). Once their help was requested, I loved seeing them all in action. The methodical way they worked through possibilities was awesome, and I loved seeing Tyler and Sloan and hearing about others from previous books. The intensity really took off with the ferry incident, and my heart was in my throat until Tate was able to get Lacy to safety. The final confrontation was a page-turner, between the explosion and the chase. I loved Cutter's fiercesomeness as he reacted, and Tate's determination. I loved finding out the who and the why and the irony of the truth. I laughed out loud at Lacy's revelation of her part in the capture.

I love Cutter. He is a unique and vivid character. It has been fun, throughout the series, to see the way that he influences and helps everyone around him. I adored his persistence when it came to Tate, and the way he would continue to show up, eventually breaking through Tate's barriers. It was so much fun to see him nudge Tate and Lacy together at every opportunity. People who know him and have seen him in action are not surprised, and it's always amusing to see others become believers. I also love how he knows when someone is in trouble and brings them together with those who can help.