Traceless - HelenKay Dimon (HI #1498 - June 2014)

Series: Corcoran Team (Book 5)

Connor Bowen hasn't seen his wife since she left him seven months ago claiming he was more married to his job than he was to her. Now his past has plunged Jana into mortal danger. This time the former Black Ops agent won't let anything come between him and the woman he'd lay down his life to protect.

Jana moved across the country to start over far from Connor. But after she's brutally abducted, she has to once again rely on the Corcoran Team leader for survival. Seeing Connor again reawakens old feelings, and she considers taking him back -- but will she even get the chance?

I have been waiting to read the story of Connor and Jana and find out why they have been apart. In the previous books it's been easy to see that her absence is tearing Connor apart. At the end of the last one he had made the decision to go after her. But before he could do so, she was kidnapped.

The love between Connor and Jana had never been in question. There was always plenty of that. The problem was that, because of his past, Connor constantly worried about Jana's safety. He did everything he could to keep her safe, but tended to go a bit overboard. When she found that he had put tracking devices in her clothing and investigated people she came in contact with, she started to feel smothered. Nothing that she said to him seemed to make any difference. Finally she just had to get away, and went to Utah to work with a friend's charity. She didn't mean to stay away long, she just had to find a way to show Connor that they needed some balance.

The kidnappers seemed to know that the best way to get to Connor was through Jana. Where they made their mistake was in failing to understand that she meant just as much to Connor's team. They were not going to let Connor go in alone. The action was nonstop from the minute they all showed up. I loved seeing the closeness of the team and how they all stepped up to help him. I especially liked the way, at the beginning, they let him know that they had all been aware of what he was going through and had wanted to help if he had just let them in. That may have been where Connor starts to understand what Jana had been complaining about.

I loved Jana's confidence that Connor would arrive in time to save her. She never doubted his love for her. Once they saw each other again, the good things about their marriage were remembered. During their fight to discover who is threatening their lives they are also given the opportunity to confront their issues. It was really fun to see Connor as he finally started to listen to Jana and hear what she had been trying to tell him. You could see how hard it was at times, but he really did try. I also liked the way that Jana took responsibility for her part of the problem too. There were some great scenes where Jana really surprised Connor with what she was able to do. I think that went a long way toward laying some of his fear to rest.

The suspense part of the story was excellent. Jana had stumbled on something that didn't look right, and it was right after that the trouble started. One of the bad guys had two agendas going on. His identity really wasn't much of a surprise and was revealed fairly early in the book. Jana had been pretty clueless about him, but Connor had his number from the beginning. I loved that the team was completely with him on that feeling, which motivated them even more. There was another player in the game that I didn't figure out until nearly the end. That one added a whole other layer to the danger Jana was in. I loved seeing how that one worked out.

I really enjoyed seeing more of Cam, and also getting to know Holt and Shane a little better. All three are great at their jobs, but you could also see their respect and love for Connor. For such big, strong guys it was fun to see them get a bit clutchy whenever things like love, family or relationships were mentioned. I have high hopes that the author has plans for the three of them!

Lawless - HelenKay Dimon (HI #1493 - May 2014)

Series: Corcoran Team (Book 4)

WHEN A CORPORATE RETREAT TURNS INTO CORPORATE SABOTAGE, THE CORCORAN TEAM SENDS IN THEIR BEST.

Undercover agent Joel Kidd wasn't picked just for his risk-assessment and kidnap-prevention skills. He had inside knowledge of the mission's target: Hope Algier. Business had divided the former lovers, and now that same dirty business brought them back together. Touching down at this high-end out-of-the-way campground, Joel had the perfect cover among these weekend warriors. In reality, he was there to provide an extra layer of protection. One Hope wouldn't accept if she knew the truth. But when an unknown assailant begins picking off her clients one by one, Joel is the only one who can save them. Though civilization -- and safety -- was still a long way off….

Excellent book with great balance between the romance and the suspense. I really liked both Joel and Hope. They have quite a history together, and that history is a big part of this book. Since their breakup Hope has started running corporate retreats. It's not her favorite thing to do, but it keeps her outdoors which is what she loves. It also gives her a chance to recover her confidence after a climbing expedition went wrong. This retreat has had problems from the beginning, starting with executives who don't handle Hope's being in charge well. When one of them disappears, Hope goes looking for him, only to get the feeling that she's being stalked by someone. Enter Joel, who has been sent by her overprotective father to keep an eye on her. Discovering that there's something fishy going on puts Joel into protective mode.

Joel and Hope are open about the fact that they still love each other. They just haven't been able to find a way to make it work, and that is mostly Joel's fault. He was raised by a survivalist father and has deep seated fears that he could become just like him. He insists to Hope that he's no good for her, but he also can't stay away from her. He's kept track of her since their split and knows that she's had a rough time. One of the things I loved about him was his complete acceptance of Hope just as she is. He isn't bothered by her skills and actually takes a lot of pride in them. I really enjoyed seeing him watch other people's reactions to her. But confidence in her skills doesn't mean that he doesn't still have a need to make sure she's safe.

Hope still loves Joel and is frustrated that she can't get through to him that he is a good man. She got really tired of listening to his excuses before he left her. Having him back in her life does two things for her. First, she is grateful for his presence and his help as things at her retreat go bad in a hurry. She knows he has the skills to keep them safe. She's also going to make sure she's with him every step of the way. Second, it gives her another chance at trying to get through to him. She knows that they can be happy together if he would just give them a chance. 

I loved seeing Hope stand up for herself and her needs as she tried to make Joel see what they could have. I also had a lot of fun watching Cam and the others needle Joel about her, but also try in their own ways to make him see that he and Hope belong together. It took a glimpse of life without her to make him see the truth.

The suspense part of the story is really good. We know one of the bad guys early on, as he tries to get a handle on what has gone wrong with his plans and wants to fix it. He has a partner whose identity is not so obvious. From the moment we see Hope trying to get away from whoever is stalking her to the final confrontation, the action doesn't stop. I loved seeing the teamwork between Joel and Cam as they arrive to something far different than they expected. The addition of the rest of the team just adds to the intensity. 

Relentless - HelenKay Dimon (HI #1488 - Apr 2014)

Series: Corcoran Team (Book 3)

Branded a traitor for exposing high-level corruption, former NCIS agent Ben Tanner needs to redeem himself. When the hot new operative saves nurse Jocelyn Raine from a brutal attacker, he embarks on his most challenging mission yet: discovering who's after the strong, sexy woman--and trying his best not to fall for her. She has, he learns, something in her past she wants to remain hidden.

But when the attacks on Jocelyn continue, Ben takes her on the run to protect her. Sparks ignite and tension is high as their options dwindle. It's possible Jocelyn's secret has endangered them both. Now it's Ben's job to see they survive the fallout….

Fast paced and intense story. Ben is trying to get his life back on track. After exposing the corruption of his former boss, many people considered him a traitor. He left NCIS to go work for the Corcoran Team instead. During an early mission he met Jocelyn and was drawn to her. After several tries he finally got her to say yes to a date with him. At the end of the date he rescued her from an attack, and another one the next day. He is determined to keep her safe and find out who is behind it and why.

I really liked both Ben and Jocelyn. Ben has been punished for doing the right thing and is still trying to come to terms with what it means for his life. He has found acceptance and a career worth having with the team. But he is still dealing with the emotional wounds of peoples' attitudes toward him. It causes some insecurities in him, though I found it only made him more appealing to me. A hint of vulnerability in a guy like him makes him irresistible. I loved his persistence in trying to get Jocelyn to go out with him. One of the things I liked best about Ben was his support of Jocelyn and his understanding of her own issues. I loved that he always had words of support and encouragement for her. He falls hard for her, but is afraid of bringing more danger to her because of what he does.

Jocelyn had come to Annapolis to escape the memories of her previous life. She keeps a pretty low profile, especially when it comes to men. It takes her a long time to say yes to dating Ben because she has some major trust issues. When he rescues her from her attackers and continues to protect her, she begins to see the differences in him. I really liked the way that she can show Ben that the people who have punished him are wrong and that she sees him for the good man that he really is. She is a strong-willed and independent woman, and while this keeps her from falling apart during the attacks, she also does a couple really stupid things that put people in danger. By the end she knows how she feels about Ben and isn't gong to let him push her away.

The suspense and action throughout the book is great. There is always something going on as things flow quickly from one event to the next. The bad guys are believable and the scenario is something that could happen. There were a couple interesting twists at the end that made the final showdown even more intense. I loved seeing how the team worked together. The respect for each other and their abilities is always there, but you can also see the friendship. I loved some of the teasing that went on among them. I'm really looking forward to Joel and Connor's stories.