Publisher - Harlequin
Publication Date - 30th April 2013
Genre - Romantic Suspense
Source - Received for review via NetGalley
Rating - 4.5 out of 5: I really liked it
Reviewed by - Chrissie
Book Info - As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it...until the sexy cop next door comes knocking.
Detective Reese Bareden thinks he knows what makes women tick, but his ever-elusive neighbor keeps him guessing like no other. Is his goal to unmask Alice's secrets? Or protect her from a dangerous new threat? One thing is certain: their chemistry is a time bomb waiting to explode. And with no one to trust but each other, Reese and Alice are soon drawn into a deadly maze of corruption, intrigue and desire-and into the line of fire....
My Thoughts - I am a big fan of Lori Foster's romantic suspense novels. Last year I devoured her Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series one after the other as I just couldn't get enough. And earlier this year I had the pleasure of reviewing the first book in her Love Undercover series, which I enjoyed just as much as her other series. So when I saw this available for review on NetGalley I just couldn't resist. Before I started reading it I was under the impression that it was just book two in the Love Undercover series, so imagine my joy when I started reading and realised it was actually a cross-over between the two series! Including an appearance by one of the incredibly sexy alpha males from the Edge of Honor books.
I fell in love with both Alice and Reece when I first met them in Run the Risk... however, it wasn't until the first page of this book that I realised I had met Alice before in Trace of Fever (book two in the Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series). She hadn't been a main character so I hadn't immediately recognised her from the references made to her in Run the Risk. And once I had made the connection, Alice's behaviour in the first book makes so much more sense... with her obsession with security (meaning guns and other kinds of weapons!) and her attention to the tiniest detail of what's going on around her. And all of her idiosyncrasies just makes the reader love her even more as we come to understand more and more of what she's been through in the past. And she is the bravest character I've ever read about... although I'd perhaps use the term crazy brave... and there were a few occasions where I was screaming at her asking her what the hell she thought she was doing. Yes, she does everything that she does to help others, but at times while taking some serious risks concerning her own safety. But again, this all ties in with what she's been through in the past and why she feels a need to atone.
Reese is a typical alpha male. He's a cop who lives next door to Alice and he's professional, hard-working, great at his job, and on top of all that he has a heart of gold. He rescued a dog from the side of the road in Run the Risk and has kept him. In fact, it is his dog Cash (so named because he wrecks a lot of things so is rather expensive to keep!) that first brings Reece and Alice together. Alice is determined to keep a distance from everybody until she starts to look after Cash while Reece is working. Reece is very territorial of Alice and incredibly protective, especially as Alice begins to reveal more about her past to him. Together they are the perfect mix of tender and passionate and, in a nut shell, they are just perfect for one another.
The mystery element of the novel was very good too, with lots of suspense and danger. There is a good mix between the mystery and the romantic aspects of the novel so that it doesn't weigh too heavily in the favour of either. Although this is the second in one series and the fifth in another, therefore with a lot of books (and information) coming before hand, I didn't find it confusing. Although I think it would be best to read Run the Risk before reading this one, as a lot of the romance between these two does start to develop in the first book, I don't think it matters too much if you haven't read the Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series as all the information the reader needs is still given to leave them with a clear picture... you just might be left in the dark slightly longer than somebody else who has already read that series. Although, read that series anyway as it's also amazing!
Summary: An incredible romantic suspense novel from one of my favourite authors. An absolute must read for anybody who is a fan of the genre.
Other books in the series:
Love Undercover Series:
1. Run the Risk
2. Bare It All
3. Getting Rowdy
Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor Series:
1. When You Dare
2. Trace of Fever
3. Savour the Danger
4. A Perfect Storm
5. Bare It All
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