Katie Mettner

Terrific book that kept me hooked from start to finish. In the earlier books, the operatives at Secure One successfully stopped a trafficker and her subordinate, rescuing women who had been held captive. In both books, some women's bodies were found floating in rivers. The killer was dubbed "The Red River Slayer" and has remained unidentified for several years. This is Mack and Charlotte's story. Both were supporting characters in the earlier books.

Mack served in the military with the other team members and was injured in a mission that went wrong. His memories haunt him, and he feels guilty that he couldn't stop what happened. Charlotte escaped the clutches of The Miss, but her experience left her traumatized and wary of trusting anyone. Mack has been protective of Charlotte since the day she arrived at Secure One. I loved seeing him support her and work at building her confidence.

As the book opens, Secure One provides security for a senator's daughter's birthday celebration. When the body of a murdered woman washes up on the riverbank, Charlotte recognizes the woman as another of The Miss's captives. The team believes she is another victim of the Slayer, and there is a connection between the murder and the cases they worked on. They suspect that it is just a matter of time before there is another victim.

This action and suspense-filled story kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. Mack and Charlotte take the lead in the investigation with the backup of the rest of the team. Charlotte's artistic skills come in handy as they plot the killings and try to make sense of them. They get help from the senator's daughter, who brings a different perspective. There is also an unexpected arrival from Charlotte's past, which provides a link that sends her and Mack on a desperate journey. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with a surprise revelation.

I enjoyed the development of Mack and Charlotte's relationship. Mack is such a tough guy on the outside, but his kindness and sensitivity toward Charlotte show a softer side to him. I loved watching him build up her confidence and show her the respect she deserves. The more time Mack spends with her, the harder he falls, but he is convinced he doesn't deserve anyone's love. I loved watching the changes in Charlotte as she healed. She has confidence in herself and her abilities. She is also very empathetic and sees past Mack's tough-guy façade to the hurting man inside. The picture she drew of him was heartbreaking and blew him away with her perceptiveness. Despite her self-assurance, she believes her past makes her unworthy of anyone. It takes nearly losing each other to realize they are exactly what each other needs.

One of the things I love about this series is the author's matter-of-fact treatment of her characters' physical challenges. They aren't made a big deal of; they are simply part of who the characters are.

#netgalley… (altro)

Terrific continuation of the Secure One series. This book picks up about eighteen months after Going Rogue in Red Rye County. The Madame and her husband are about to go on trial, and Marlise and Mina are the key witnesses. Because the Madame's second in command, the Miss, is still on the loose, Cal and Roman take extreme measures to keep the women safe. The story begins with a rush as they are attacked on the way to their court appearance. The intensity is off the charts as Cal and Marlise race to escape their determined pursuers.

With the trial on a two-week pause because of the attack, Marlise, Cal, and the others are determined to find the Miss and capture her. Marlise and Mina will never be safe unless they do. I was glued to the pages as the team from Secure One threw everything they had into their search. I could feel their frustration at the lack of usable information and their hope when Marlise confessed to having some evidence - if only she could retrieve it. That hope gets a boost with the arrival of another one of the women from Red Rye and the information she brings with her. The tension ramped up as they closed in on the Miss's identity and location, and desperation led to a risky plan. The final confrontation kept me glued to the pages as Marlise and Mina faced their worst nightmare. The ending was terrific, with an unexpected twist in the epilogue.

I loved watching the development of Cal and Marlise's relationship. Cal was protective of Marlise from the moment they rescued her, and that hasn't changed since then. He isn't just protective, though; he also encourages and supports her as she heals. Cal has feelings for her but refuses to acknowledge them. A past trauma has caused him to wall off his feelings, and he refuses to risk loving again. I loved seeing the changes in Marlise. In the time she has been at Secure One, she has become more confident. She's worked with Cal on self-protection and found a place cooking for the group. There are still hints of vulnerability, but being close to Cal gives her confidence. She loves him but is convinced that her past makes her wrong for him. I loved watching her stand up to his overprotectiveness and insist on being an active participant in capturing the Miss. The danger of the final confrontation finally breaks through the barriers keeping them apart. I loved Cal's big moment at the end.

#netgalley… (altro)

Terrific combination of suspense, action, and romance. Mina and Roman are long-time partner FBI agents assigned to go undercover to bring down The Madame, owner of a string of brothels. When the mission goes terribly wrong, Mina ends up on the run, alone and disabled, trusting no one.

I was hooked from the first page, as Mina, who has been on the run for a year, bugs out of her latest hideout, certain that she's been found. I could feel her pain, not just from her damaged foot but also from the belief that Roman had betrayed her. She has no idea that Roman has been searching for her for a year, intent on keeping her safe and proving that he wasn't the one who betrayed her. However, he blames himself for what happened to her.

This book kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. Mina's escape doesn't quite go as planned, from Roman finding her to them being attacked by two of Madame's men. They were determined to do everything possible to identify and capture the Madame. Following their investigation's twists and turns kept me past my bedtime because I didn't want to put the book down. Mina's intensity was incredible, and Roman was there to support her every step of the way. They end up at Secure One with Roman's brother, Cal, giving them the resources and safety they desperately need. The intensity ramped up as they began to close in on their quarry. Then Roman's greatest fear - Mina disappeared. I was on the edge of my seat as he raced to find her before it was too late. The final confrontation had a twist I didn't see coming. The resolution was excellent, with just enough loose threads to plant the seed for the next book.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Roman and Mina. They've been partners for years, each fighting the feelings growing between them. I loved Roman's attempts to take care of her and provide comfort when she needed it. The nightmare scenes were heartbreaking but brought Mina and Roman closer together. It was fun to see Cal give Roman a hard time about not telling Mina how he felt. But it isn't until they nearly lose each other that they dare to confess their feelings. I loved the epilogue, and Roman's nervousness was sweet.… (altro)