This book started off with a bang with the heroine trapped under a building after an earthquake and the hero rescuing her. It was fast moving and never let up the pace. There were several couples involved but the transitions were smooth and all the characters had parts in the current book to play so it worked really well. Loved the heroine and the hero both. She was a strong woman but not in a ball breaker way. She just had inner strength. He was a tortured type hero but he was calm, competent and kind.

My only real caveat is that the author had him use a Vulcan neck pinch. That just threw me out of the story. I know this is fiction but the VNP is beyond fiction. Like, I don't know, totally made up? I had to pretend I hadn't read those words. Other than that, totally worthwhile read. ( )

We met Hugh Franco in the first book Cover Me. We know that he lost his wife and daughter and likes taking the most dangerous missions. When Hot Zone starts out we find our heroine Amelia and her newly adopted 13 month old nephew Joshua under a hotel after an earthquake has ravaged the Bahama island. After a search and rescue dog points to there location Hugh manages to climb down to them. In this tiny space trapped under a bld Hugh starts to feel something for this woman with the blue eyes. Its not something he wants but yet he is drawn in. Amelia has a few of her own demons. She had been in a crappy marriage and her father turned out to be a pedophile who killed himself rather than go to prison. As more aftershocks trap Hugh below with Amelia the two form a bond but both think it can go no further than what they are feeling at that moment.

Once they are rescued Amelia and Joshua are taken to a makeshift hospital where she hopes to find out news on her brother and his wife. Hugh goes back to his team to clean up and get a little sleep before starting on more searching for survivors. But he cannot get Amelia and the little one out of his head. So he continues to go and visit them at the hospital.

There are also two secondary relationships and a baby stealing plot going on.

The first is Amelia's brother Dr Aiden Bailey and his wife Lisabeth who is also his nurse. They have both worked for Doctors without Borders and now with Operation Smile. They had come to the Bahamas to finally there adoption of Joshue when the earthquake hit and separated them from Amelia and Joshua. Aiden never wanted any kids of his own due to having a pedophile for a father but Lisabeth convinced him to adopt. As Dr's and nurses are needed they end up volunteering even though both are extremely worried about the fate of Amelia and Joshua.

The second is Major Liam McCabe (Hugh's boss) He has had 3 marriages and 3 divorces. He know's he falls to fast for women and again cant help himself when he meets the replacement USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) Rachel Flores. Rachel just came out of a bad relationship and it not looking for another even though Liam is very persistent.

Now back to Amelia and Hugh... Amelia catches a person posing as a nurse trying to take Joshua and tries to stop her and ends up getting herself kidnapped along with the baby. Hugh hears Amelia's screams and rushes to try and save her..

We go back and forth between the 3 stories and also with the leader of the baby snatching ring called The Guardian who things she is doing the world a favor by taking children who have no parents and placing them with good families.

I really like angst driven books and watching how each of the characters get over there deeply traumatic issues.

Hugh has to overcome his deeply rooted sorrow over losing his wife and daughter.

Aiden has to overcome is never wanting any blood children of his own when his wife tells him she is pregnant.

I know alot of people didn't like the first book based on reviews I had read. I liked the first book and was really looking forward to this book from the teaser that was at the end of it. It did not disappoint. We get to experience so many characters overcoming tragedy in this book. It was a none stop thrill ride until the very end.
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Amelia and Hugh

They met buried in the rubble of a building, they survived a kidnapping and then things went from bad to worse. What a wild, adrenaline-pumping book!

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Originally reviewed on These Pretty Words.

I'm pretty sure I squealed and danced a jig when I was approved to read Hot Zone for a review. I mean really, Cover Me was put directly on my re-readable shelf when I finished it, and I've been slowly making my way through the Wingmen Warriors series as well. Catherine has such a way with romance, such a strong grasp of the military, and knows how to explain new terms, processes, and 'stuff' without bogging the reader down with details. I have loved every book I've read of hers, and Hot Zone easily continues that streak.

Let's start with the basics – this time our pararescuemen are on an island in the Bahamas, looking for survivors after a devastating earthquake. The book really drags you into that world of chaos and destruction, of danger and confusion. You've got a woman trapped under a collapsed hotel, doing everything she can to keep her nephew safe; a pararescuman risking his life to save her; an officer determined to keep his team alive; a search and rescue dog handler with attitude to spare; and a married couple doing what they can to help while wondering if their family is still alive.

And so begins a tale of not just one romance, but three…

Reading three separate romances at once added such a wonderful depth to this book. You get a peek into six lives, a look at how couples meet, come together, and stay together. It isn't just about Hugh and Amelia, the main couple in the book. There's this whole past-present-future vibe going on – the long-married couple, the two that fall in love along the way, and the newly introduced, who barely make it through a kiss before the story ends. It's beautiful, really, to see these people interact, both as couples and with other people around them – with family and friends and fellow soldiers. Each couple has their quirks, their way of dealing with each other and the stresses around them that made them so real in my head. I never got bored with the storylines, nor did I get confused as to which couple was which. Catherine kept the writing clear and the characterizations solid.

The plot of the book was heart-wrenching. I cried for Hugh on more than one occasion, especially with the musical references Catherine brings to the story. I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling something important, but you'll want to keep the tissues handy. Hot Zone also forces you to think about the bad side of doing good… if that makes sense (it will once you read). At times, you just can't decide whether to cheer or boo at certain characters. The story is strong, the romance is hot, the fear is tangible, and the pacing is wonderful – exactly what you need in a book like this and perfect for a cold winter night read.

As with Cover Me, this book has found a permanent home on my re-readable shelf. Hugh and Amelia really wormed their way right into my heart with their charm and witty banter. The love scenes helped a bit as well. Hopefully we'll get to see more of the 'future' couple in upcoming books. I'd love to see that story play out. But for now go buy Hot Zone – read it, love it, read it again. It's totally worth it! ( )

I loved the first book in the series so much I was anxious to read Hot Zone. I finished it in two days while on vacation, and it did not disappoint. Mann has to be one of my new favorite suspense authors! This book had it all for me. Our heroine is a lawyer who ends up in the Bahamas during an earthquake while she is there helping her brother adopt a child. What totally made this book for me was the hero, Hugh Franco. Mann was able to create SO much emotional depth to this man. The pain he went through in losing his wife and child jumps off the page. Not many authors can create so much emotion especially in a male character while still keeping him so strong and alpha. Amelia is a strong heroine and while she has her own issues, she takes a chance on Hugh. Her love for her nephew also shines though. Everything in this book worked for me. There was the right mix of romance versus suspense, and there was enough sexy spice to keep you turning the page. I've already bought book three and am ready to read it! If you love military romantic suspense then Mann is a must read. ( )