I have a feeling that this was a fine book of its type, but the author has a quirk I couldn't get past. Took me awhile to figure it out. The names of the persons being addressed, who are talking, or who are on the scene are constantly being used in their entirety. That's because using only a pronoun -- he or she -- wouldn't be clear as written. I think this author would write much more smoothly and with fewer reading stumbles if she tried substituting "he" or "she" as appropriate. If that's not possible in the course of an extended conversation or scene between only a few people, a little editing is probably required. Will be happy to take this down upon acknowledgment of receipt by the author. ( )

An engrossing suspense with lots of subplots that all work out to a very satisfying karma like conclusion.

A killer is stalking and killing men that have wrong women. When a FBI task force is assembled catch him, Homicide detective Leigh McBride is assigned as a liaison. Leigh was a very interesting character. She has a very ugly past that she has fought to overcome and has tried so hard to move on from it and be the best mother and detective she can. She is thrilled to have this chance to work with the FBI even though the partner she is assigned to work with causes feelings she thought were long dead due to her traumatic past.

FBI Agent J.T. Noble has a few issues himself. He is a scarred man on the outside from his time in the Marines and very jaded on the inside from what he considers his alcoholic genetics that his grandfather and mother suffered from. Even though J.T. doesn't drink and was raised by his grandmother who he loves dearly he has decided marriage and children are not for him. That’s all tested when he finds himself both attracted to Leigh and actually liking her son.

As the hunt for the killer goes on throughout the book --- which I must say for most of the book as we find out why he is doing what he is you almost feel sympathy for him --- Leigh’s ugly past is released from prison. This guy was a bad guy!!. Throughout the book we are given both of their POV which worked well with the story in my opinion.

I really liked this author’s voice in her writing. She keeps you captivated and interested in the story from beginning to end. This was a new author to me but I will be looking forward to reading more from her. ( )

Special Agent J.T. Noble and Detective Leigh McBride are great characters with a lot of emotional baggage. J.T has issues with abandonment and alcoholism, and he’s convinced that the disease is hereditary and refuses to ever marry and start a family. If there are three things J.T. can’t stand, they are drunks, liars and bad mothers. He is a man of few words and has a (cute) habit of talking in four word sentences. He keeps to himself mostly, but still shares an easy camaraderie with his boss and colleagues at work. Outside of work, he is more of loner. His evenings are spent trying to hunt down his wayward mother as a favor to his grandmother.

Leigh keeps her ugly past a secret from everyone; not out of shame, but out of self-preservation. She is a single mother working hard to provide the best life she can for Ethan. Her unconditional love for her son shows throughout the entire story. Then her past comes back to haunt and taunt her, and it’s time to open up to her colleagues. One in particular.

As a couple, I loved J.T. and Leigh together. When Leigh received phone calls at work that wiped the professionalism right off her face, J.T. became both intrigued and protective, but he didn’t interfere or push her for answers. His non-judgmental, non-pushy persona drew Leigh in even deeper, including me. I loved J.T.’s vulnerable side; fearing that Leigh would want nothing to do with him if she ever got a glimpse of his past. It was the classic case of one not feeling good enough for the other despite evidence to the contrary. Leigh was a tough cookie. Yes, she was afraid a lot in this story, but who wouldn’t be? She never backed down from the challenges presented to her and even broke some of her own rules for a chance at happiness. In short I found her quite admirable.

The action in this story has equal face time with the romance, and that is really what kept my interest. The true villain of the story would make the blood freeze in your veins. Some of the descriptions of what he intended for Leigh…cringe-worthy. The story unfolded and flowed well with a few moments that made my breath hitch, and the romance progressed at a believable pace. I did feel a little let down in one particular scene because I felt the bad guy got what he deserved a little too easily. The Holy Crap moment didn’t come to pass, unlike in Green-Eyed Doll. On the other hand I could understand if the author decided not to put the heroine through any more unnecessary trauma.

This was my second romantic suspense novel by Jerrie Alexander, and she is now one of my go-to authors for semi-creepy plots à la Criminal Minds with a side of sizzling romance. Her stories are usually told from multiple POVs, usually the hero, heroine and the villain, and I’ve found that I enjoy being able to see inside their minds. Not only do I feel more connected to the hero and heroine, but when the POV switches to the villain, you get chills just knowing what the main characters are going to eventually face. I highly recommend The Last Execution or The Green-Eyed Doll .

Favorite lines:

The heat from her fury hadn’t been aimed at him, but he was tempted to check for blisters.


~*~

“Know this. I’ll never intentionally hurt you.” He released her hand and walked out the door.

“But I’m afraid you will – unintentionally – someday,” Leigh whispered to the empty room.


~*~

“Stop undressing me with your eyes.”

“I don’t think so. Your blush is sexy.”

“Don’t start with the three and four word sentences.” She dropped her voice where only he heard. “You didn’t have trouble talking in grownup terms last night.”

He choked on a sip of coffee.


~*~

My rating: 4 to 4.5

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author via CBLS Promotions in exchange for an honest review. ( )

An AReCafe contemporary romance reading list selection from TRS. ( )

This story kept me interested with it's twists and turns. The characters all have their own individual issues to work through and when they work together, they are stronger for it. The premise of a sniper targeting women abusers is a smart turn for the author to take...abuse touches many people. You almost catch yourself rooting for the guy. The story takes another twist and the author takes you into places that make you think about what is really going on. The romance is woven in subtly then gives you a big "wham!" What a great book! I'm looking forward to more from this author. ( )