So Good

Wow this was so so good. I felt like I was watching an action movie instead of reading a book. Dorian and Grace/Ray has both endured some pretty traumatic things in their lives and each blamed themselves for the pain the other went through. It’s a book with everything in it from action, to romance, to heartache. I loved it all and will go on to see what happens to Shadow next. ( )

4.5 stars

This author writes suspense and action that jumps off the page forcing the audience to jump on board. Add in a dash of heated chemistry, passion, and great characters, major and secondary, and this book is a journey that is fraught why tension, danger, and a gripping storyline.

I highly recommend the entires series of standalones. ( )

I have been looking forward to Dorian's story since the first book, and I was not disappointed. I saved it to read on a transatlantic flight, and I have never had one go by so fast! Dorian intrigued me from the first book. He is an integral part of the Linear Tactical team, but he also holds himself a bit apart. He is always there when he is needed, but works quietly in the background. Bits and pieces of his story were revealed in earlier books. He is haunted by his past and suffers from severe PTSD that frequently sends him off into the woods alone. In this book, we finally learn that during a black ops mission in Afghanistan Dorian saw the woman he loved die in an explosion just before he was captured. He survived 41 days of torture before his teammates found and rescued him, leaving him broken in mind and body. It was the love and support of his LT teammates that brought him as far as he has come. But lately, he has wondered about his mental stability as he seems to feel Grace's presence in the forest around him. He was somewhat relieved when there was evidence that she is alive and determined to get some answers.

Grace has remained "dead" for six years as a way to keep the man she loved alive. She discovered some horrifying information that threw everything they had done and endured into question. She made decisions and sacrifices that affected her to the point where she doubted her own humanity. When the members of their black ops unit started dying under suspicious circumstances, Dorian was the only one she trusted to help her find the killer. But there are things that he doesn't know, and she was determined to protect him from them.

While this is one of the most heart-wrenchingly emotional books I've ever read, some moments serve to relieve the tension. One of those scenes is when Grace/Ray is watching Dorian as he teaches the teen boys their survival skills. She is convinced that he has lost his edge because he doesn't appear to realize that she is out there watching him. I loved how intensely aware he actually was, and the confrontation between them when he caught up with her. It did go a little dark then, as his methods to get answers were a bit forceful. There are some intense, sometimes scary and sometimes amusing back and forth encounters before they finally reached the point where they could work together. One thing that hadn't changed was the intense chemistry and depth of caring between them. I was moved to tears when Dorian had one of his PTSD episodes when he was alone with Ray, and the lengths she went to to help him. I ached for her and the torment she endured over the information she kept from him, and his reaction when he found out. At the same time, nothing could kill Dorian's love for her, and the depth of that love was evident as Grace faced the greatest betrayal of her life. I loved the ending, and how the life they build together shows them as the soulmates they were always meant to be. "You and me. Always. Everything else is secondary."

The suspense of the story was riveting. Ray's belief in Dorian's inability to be the killer, but with just a modicum of doubt, got the story off to a rip-roaring start. Each fact Ray revealed about Crypt and their missions was more horrifying than the last. The twists and turns as Dorian and Ray closed in on the killer kept me glued to the pages. The closer they came, the greater my suspicions were about who was involved. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with some fantastic action on the part of Dorian and others. Ray both blew me away and broke my heart with everything she experienced before it was all over. There are still unresolved problems, though, and I can't wait for Shadow's story to see what happens.

Once again, one of the most significant parts of the book is the tight bond between the men of Linear Tactical, which now includes the women they love. One of my favorite parts about this one is the support and understanding that Dorian gets from all of them. No one looks sideways at him or tells him to get over it when he has to retreat to the woods during his dark times. I adored the part when Dorian brought Grace to the bar, and the women went all protective on him until he made his feelings for Ray clear. Then she immediately became one of them. Even when the guys were suspicious of Ray's actions and disappearance, they showed up when Dorian needed them most. "We're family. Family fights, but we don't turn our backs on each other when we're needed." ( )