Deadly Allure - Elle James (HRS #1812 - Aug 2014)

Series: Devil's Shroud (Book 4)

An ex-military man relies on the skills he's never forgotten…

When former special ops soldier Dave Logsdon nearly hits a beautiful motorcyclist in the thick Oregon fog, nicknamed the Devil's Shroud, he never expects to be thrown back into a world of espionage, deceit and danger. But secret agent Nicole Steele is desperate for an out-of-the-way place to hide, and Dave's run-down yacht is the perfect spot. The emotionally wounded warrior is powerless to deny her request…and his rising desire for her.

Nicole must decrypt the database she's stolen before it's too late. She soon learns the threat is bigger than she could ever imagine and U.S. national security is at stake. Will her unexpected bond with Dave survive once the enemy's identity is finally uncovered?

Fantastic book with two great leads and gripping action. It starts with Nicole, aka Tazer to her fellow agents, acquiring a database containing information about suspected arms dealers. She's discovered and pursued, but manages to get away, but not before discovering that someone is going after her fellow agents. On her own and needing somewhere to hide out, she heads for Cape Churn. After colliding with Dave in the fog, he takes her to his boat, which turns out to be a great spot to lay low.

What a beginning for these two.  They had met briefly in a previous book, where Nicole had managed to rub Dave the wrong way.  Now he wants nothing to do with her or her problems, but finds himself helping anyway. I loved watching these two clash. They start out really pushing each other's buttons. Dave came home from the army determined to keep to himself. He still has nightmares from the loss of a friend. He refuses to get close to anyone and suffer that kind of pain again. Nicole is focused on her job. After being betrayed by the man she loved, she no longer trusts men or her judgement about them. Dave wants nothing more than for her to get what she needs and get off his boat so he can get back to his normal life. But there's something about Nicole that gets to him and it isn't long before he wants to help her. 

Nicole is a strong and independent woman, used to working on her own, but quickly finds herself glad to have Dave's help. I loved seeing the two of them find a way to work together. They discovered that they made a very good team. During their enforced proximity their attraction really took off. As much as they tried to convince themselves that it was just physical, they found themselves sharing things that they don't usually talk about. They're starting to feel things they never expected and neither knows what will happen to them when the mission ends.

The action in this story was gripping right from the start. It seemed that Nicole and Dave were barely one step ahead of trouble no matter what they did. There were quite a few twists and turns and plenty of heart pounding moments as they worked to get the information to someone who could do something about it. The ending had me riveted as they tried to reach their goal.

I also loved seeing Nicole's teammates from the previous books as they provided what backup they could. It's always great to get a follow up and see how a relationship continues to grow strong. It was also fun to see how the women made sure they didn't get shut out of the action.

Deadly Liaisons - Elle James (HRS #1797 - Apr 2014)

Series: Devil's Shroud (Book 3)

People have been known to perish at McGregor Manor...

Opening her B and B to a group of ghost hunters, Molly McGregor hopes the spirits rumored to be there will appear. She needs the weekend to be a financial success. But when disembodied voices and hazy images nearly lure her to her death, Molly's driven straight into the arms of a sexy but mysterious guest--Casanova Valdez.

Nova knows what it's like to be haunted--by memories of a case gone bad. As a secret agent, he's confident he can protect Molly but is not exactly sure he believes in ghosts. As the mysterious incidents targeting the gorgeous redhead become increasingly more dangerous, Nova must question if it's the handiwork of a ghost...or a killer.

Good book. I liked the suspense and the chemistry between Nova and Molly is great. Molly is hosting a ghost hunters weekend at her B and B when things start to get a little scarier than she expected.  First she hears voices calling for help in the fog. Then a "ghost" pushes her down the stairs. She's happy that secret agent Casanova Valdez is there to watch out for her.  Nova is there because his team just finished a mission there at Cape Churn (see Deadly Engagement).  He's supposed to leave the next day, but he's drawn to Molly and stays to keep her safe.

Molly loves her B and B.  It has been in her family for a long time and is the house she grew up in.  To keep from having to sell it, she turned it into a B and B, but she still struggles to make ends meet.  Because it is supposedly haunted, she's counting on this ghost weekend to bring in some needed revenue.  Nova is there with his team members and some locals having dinner to celebrate the end of their mission.  She can't keep her eyes off him, but she's aware of his reputation as a ladies' man.  When an accident with his car keeps him there for an extra night, the attraction they feel heats up.  He's there when she is pushed down the stairs, and since he doesn't believe in ghosts he suspects one of the ghost hunters.  Molly is happy to have him staying close to her as strange things continue to happen.  Molly is happy to have Nova there, and is certainly enjoying having him close, but she is trying very hard not to depend on him too much.  She's lost enough people in her life that she feels it's better to count on no one else being there for her.  I loved the way that she found herself dreaming of what it would be like if he stayed.  I really liked the way that her enthusiasm for her home and her town were so evident in the way she talked about them to others.  Her independent spirit also gave her the ability to stay calm in a crisis, which came in very handy!

Nova hadn't been able to keep his attention off Molly during dinner.  Besides her beauty he was really impressed with the way she kept things running smoothly.  He just kind of rolls his eyes at the ghost hunters since he doesn't believe in ghosts.  He has even fewer reasons to believe later that night when someone pushed Molly down the stairs.  I loved the way that he immediately jumped in to take care of her and even help out at the B and B.  As the weekend went on and strange things kept happening he was determined to protect her.  I loved seeing him go from a love 'em and leave 'em kind of guy to one who is actually thinking about putting down roots.  He has to overcome the demons of his past, especially the death of the woman he had loved and whose death he felt responsible for.  I loved seeing him do all kinds of things he would have never considered before and the satisfaction it brought to him. It was great to see how his whole attitude changed the closer he got to Molly.

The mystery was very well done.  From the cut brake line to the final showdown I was completely involved in the story.  There were two things going on - the ghost hunting and the attacks on Nova and Molly and the need to see if they were related.  I loved all the descriptions of the ghost hunt and the stories of the various ghosts.  The seance was really spooky and the things that happened during it gave me goosebumps.  The mystery of the attacks was also great.  I had a feeling I knew who was behind them, but there were enough questions that I wasn't completely positive.  I really liked the epilogue and hearing the results of the ghost hunt.

Deadly Engagement - Elle James (HRS #1785 - Jan 2014)

Series: Devil's Shroud (Book 2)

But secret operative Creed Thomas isn't prepared for Emma Jenkins. Creed needs the diving expert to locate a sunken boat off Oregon's rocky coast and lure out an elusive terrorist. But he doesn't need the fiery attraction that tempts the by-the-book agent to break every rule. Emma is everything the man in him wants and the agent in him can't have.

As an impenetrable fog blankets the seaside town, one thing is clear: Creed is all that stands between a terrorist and the unspeakable act of violence he's sure to commit. When the moment comes, will Creed be forced to choose between saving his country...and the woman he loves?

Very good book with enough action to keep me hooked and enough heat between the hero and heroine to have me rooting for them.  Creed has come to town to locate a sunken yacht with ties to a terrorist.  He needs a diving expert to help him find it and Emma is the best in the area.  He doesn't expect the attraction her feels for her and finds himself thinking of a future that's impossible given what he does.  And when Emma gets caught in the middle, can he save her and stop the terrorist?

Emma is a nurse at the local hospital and well liked by everyone.  She feels very guilty right now because her ex-fiance stole the money that was meant for a children's wing at the local hospital.  She has been using her diving skills to look for the wreck of an eighteenth century ship that went down off the coast and was rumored to be carrying Spanish gold.  If she can find that gold it will replace the missing funds.  When Creed comes looking for a diving guide she accepts because the area he's looking in is also where she needs to be.  There's something about him, though, that isn't ringing true.  He claims to be an insurance adjuster looking into possible fraud, but he isn't like any adjuster she's ever met.  She's proved right when they are attacked and Creed comes clean on what's really going on.  I really liked the way that she doesn't panic when they are attacked but is able to keep her head enough to get them to safety.  She also admits to herself that not only is she attracted to him, but she's also falling in love with him.  Knowing what he does she also knows that when his mission is done he will leave, taking her heart with him.  

Creed has been a loner for most of his adult life.  He had grown up in a rough neighborhood and gotten into a lot of trouble before joining the navy and becoming a SEAL.  After the navy he joined the covert group he is currently in, with his teammates becoming like his family.  He doesn't want to involve a civilian in his mission but he needs Emma's help.  From the very beginning he is attracted to her, but doesn't feel that he has anything to offer her.  I loved seeing the way that she started breaking down his walls and thoughts of what could be crept into his mind.  He still resisted the idea that he could have it all until it came to the point where he realized what it would be like if he lost her.  I loved the way it was his tough as nails teammates who pointed out where he was going wrong.  

The suspense in the book was fantastic.  From the search for the missing cargo on the boat to the final showdown I couldn't put the book down.  The whole "dirty bomb" scenario was definitely scary.  With Creed and Emma on their own at the beginning it was nerve wracking to see them struggle to escape those who wanted them dead. The arrival of his teammates increased the tension as they got closer to stopping the terrorist.  There was a very interesting twist at the end when it came to the attempted deal between the two bad guys.  I also enjoyed catching up with Gabe and Kayla from Deadly Reckoning.