Fatal Fallout - Lara Lacomb (HRS #1814 - Aug 2014)

Torn between duty and desire, two strangers must risk all for love

Nuclear physicist Dr. Claire Fleming has one rule: never get close to anyone. But when her colleague is murdered and she's targeted next, she must place all her trust in FBI agent Thomas Kincannon. Soon Claire forgets her tenet as she fantasizes about Thomas's touch.

Thomas is wildly attracted to Claire. But his life and his job are too complicated for any romantic entanglements. Despite this, they share a mind-blowing kiss, and there's no turning back. When Thomas's niece is abducted, the stakes become dangerously higher as Claire insists he trade her for the child. Somehow, Thomas must find a way to rescue his family and protect the woman who let her protective walls down just for him.

Good book with good suspense. Claire has been working with a Russian counterpart to help safely dispose of radioactive material from their decaying power plants. When her colleague is murdered and Claire receives a threat against her life, the FBI steps in to protect her. Thomas is much more than she expected.

I liked Claire. She is strong, independent and intelligent. She is also wary of getting emotionally involved with anyone. It hurts too much when they leave. Ivan's murder has left her feeling vulnerable and Thomas's presence makes her feel safer. She doesn't want to be attracted to him, but her body isn't listening to her brain. She is drawn to his strength, but also to his sense of humor and his love for his family. I loved seeing her open up to him about her past and how she realizes that it is still affecting her life now. Those issues create an opportunity for misunderstanding that sends her running when an old girlfriend of Thomas's shows up. 

Thomas is focused on his work and his family. His brother was killed in a car accident a few months earlier and Thomas feels as though it should have been him. He spends a lot of his free time trying to fill in for his brother with his sister-in-law and especially his niece. He doesn't expect the intense attraction that he feels for Claire. He tries to fight it as it is a distraction from what he should be doing to keep her safe. But something about her is healing the hole in his life and he starts to dream of a future with her. I loved his sense of humor and how he had a way of lightening the strain that Claire was under. I felt so bad for him when his niece was taken and he had to find a way to rescue her while keeping Claire safe. I loved seeing the way that he had some things that he had to think about and readjust his reactions to at the end before he was able to convince Claire of his feelings.

I really enjoyed the suspense of the story. There was a lot going on in a short period of time. Claire and Thomas had to figure out the meaning of the papers that Ivan sent to Claire before the bad guy could stop them and kill them both. The intensity of little Emily's kidnapping and rescue as it set up the final confrontation had me turning the pages as quickly as I could to see how it would turn out.

He's the One - Linda Lael Miller, Jill Shalvis, Lucy Monroe, Kate Angell, Cat Johnson (Kensington - June 2013)

BATTERIES NOT REQUIRED by Linda Lael Miller 
Series: Parable MT (Book .5)
Contrary to popular opinion, Gayle Hayes's love life is out of service. But when she returns to her small Montana hometown, rodeo bad boy Tristan McCullough gives her a whole new lesson in power surge. . .

Good story, though very short.  Gayle had left Parable right after high school, leaving sweetheart Tristan behind.  She didn't think he'd care, since she saw him with his arms around someone else.  When she comes back to town to help her mom sell her bar, she runs in to him right away.  The chemistry between them is even stronger.  I liked seeing them actually talk about what drove them apart although that seemed to be about the only talking they did.  I would have liked it to be a little longer so that there was more to the story.





CAPTIVATED by Jill Shalvis
James Scott warned his investigator ex-wife Ella to be more careful. Now he finds the irate woman nearly naked and handcuffed to the towel rack in his Mexican vacation condo. He should release her. Then again. . .

Pretty good story.  Ella is an insurance investigator who has really bad luck.  She is constantly getting caught by the bad guys and locked in trunks, tied up, etc.  This time she's been caught snooping and handcuffed to a towel bar to keep her out of the way until the bad guys can get away.  She's discovered by her ex, who had come to their cottage to get away for awhile.  James (a cop) still loves her, but his fears for her safety made it impossible for him to live with her.  All he wants is for her to give up the dangerous investigations.  I completely understood Ella's problem with James.  As she told him "I loved you James. Every part of you, but what kills me is that you can't say the same."  She accepts that being a cop is who he is and doesn't try to make him change, but he was constantly after her to change.  The question is, can they find a compromise before Ella gets into more trouble?





SEDUCING TABBY by Lucy Monroe
Everybody always wants Tabby Payton's beautiful sister. But not sexy English spy Calder Maxwell. He wants Tabby, body and soul, and he's willing to take seduction to new levels to prove it. . .

Loved this story.  Tabby is used to people wanting her beautiful sister.  Men will make up to her as a way to learn about Helene.  She doesn't mind - she loves her sister and wants her to be happy.  But when Calder makes it clear he is interested in her, Tabby doesn't know what to do.  Having a sexy Brit courting her is a dream come true.  I adored Calder.  I loved the way that he saw what a wonderful and sexy woman she was.  It was so much fun seeing him do so many things to make her happy.  I loved seeing the care he took to make sure that she was certain about wanting him.





NO SHIRT, NO SHOES, NO SERVICE by Kate Angell
Series: Barefoot William (Book 2.5)
Violet Cates is done with surfing beach bums. She's ready for a new wave, someone with more ambition than a grain of sand. Like Brad Davis. He looks like a beach bum, but looks can be so deceiving. . .

Very good story.  Violet and Brad had been together for six years when he left town to try to make a better life.  Five years later he has returned, apparently not much different.  The love between Violet and him is still there and as strong as ever.  Vi is just happy that he's back.  Together they work at the diner where they worked as teens and get to know each other again.  I loved seeing the way they shared their dreams.  I also enjoyed seeing Vi take care of Brad, even though he tried to tell her that she didn't need to.  I really enjoyed the ending and seeing how they make their dreams come true.





FISH OUT OF WATER by Cat Johnson
Series: Oklahoma Nights (Book 2.5)
Carla Henricks is a cowgirl through and through, but her lasso has never met an English professor like Mark Ross. It's true opposites attract. Staying together is the juicy part. .

Good story.  Carla has been burned in love by cowboys once too often.  She's ready to try something different.  Mark is on a university staff retreat camping trip when he meets Carla.  I loved the way he was so unenthusiastic about the camping and fishing until he met Carla.  Having her show him the ropes is the best part of the weekend.  I really enjoyed seeing how much fun he had catching his first fish, and then doing the cooking.  The attraction the two felt to each other was strong, but I also enjoyed seeing them just get to know each other.