I picked this from a book club after reading another by the author in this same series, “A Savage Trick” which I really enjoyed, so I went in with high expectations.

The Premise

FBI Agent Jace flirts with a beautiful older woman at a wedding, only to find out shortly thereafter that she is his new boss. ATF supervisor Heidi, fresh out of a past situation that ended badly with her agent’s suicide, is seeking redemption in this new case to solve the terrorist bombings by white supremacists — but as a woman in the field, she is often slighted and it is hard to earn respect. Now, with the hot-headed hottie agent Jace under her command, she is struggling to maintain her professional demeanour while overseeing his undercover operation. As Jace gets deeper into the terror plot, he and Heidi must race against time to solve the case before another bombing occurs — but will their attraction to each other get in the way?

The Pros

This was a fast-paced romantic suspense filled with dramatic twists and turns. The author clearly did her research to make the situations and dialogue sound realistic — something that is a pet peeve of mine for any subject matter that deals with law enforcement! I enjoyed reading the action scenes and I felt that each character was aptly fleshed out, even the antagonists. I also enjoyed the interaction between the two main characters, which builds slowly throughout the story until it finally — finally — explodes!

I was glad to see glimpses of my favourite character from the last book — Zamira! Zamira! Zamira! — as well as others in the Quinn family. There were also some shocking moments the author explores that are far too easy to picture in real-life — a young man being led astray, disillusioned and needing to feel like he belongs; and the additional danger women face in their daily lives while practicing their religious faith.

The Cons

I do have to admit, however, that I went in with high expectations, and overall it didn’t quite measure up to the one I read previously. Jace’s insubordination and tightly-wound alpha-male behaviour was infuriating rather than attractive sometimes, and Heidi’s decisions were questionable at times. Also, while for the premise of a suspense novel, I understand that having this kind of plot unwind over a year or more would be difficult to write, still it struck me that Jace supposedly gained the trust of these terrorists FAR too quickly, which was the only thing that felt unrealistic to me.

Conclusion

Despite my tiny niggles, this was overall a terrific story, well written and fast-paced. The elements the author explores and winds together into a cohesive, fluid plot combine to present an excellent depiction of issues that we face today — prejudice, terrorism, and the fragility of life. I could feel throughout the novel that the author poured so much heart into the story, and I really appreciated the tiny nuances to make this kind of story feel realistic. I would highly recommend to other readers, and look forward to reading more by this author.

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