Elle James

Fantastic book that sucked me in from the very beginning. Emily is a professor of Russian language at a local university. She also works as an interpreter. As the story opens, she is just finishing a translating job at the Russian embassy. It doesn't go well, with the ambassador storming out. Emily is escorted out of the embassy in a hurry, while the man she translated for is detained. On her way out, she sees another man who looks familiar being escorted in. Confused and uneasy, she rushes show more to her car. Her uneasiness is justified when she is nearly run off the road twice in a short time and spots a car following her. When that car also tries to run her off the road, she calls her friend Grace to tell her what is happening. Grace immediately asks Declan to help her friend.

Former Marine Mustang is one of the men of Declan's Defenders. He is the closest to Emily's location when Declan calls on him for help. He arrives on the scene just in time to keep Emily from being kidnapped or killed and whisks her off to the Defenders' headquarters on Charlie Halvorsen's estate. As the team tries to figure out why Emily is being targeted, Mustang plans to stick close to Emily to keep her safe.

I was glued to the pages of this book as it's nearly nonstop action to keep Emily alive. Emily initially has no idea why someone is out to kill her, while the team believes that she saw something she doesn't realize the importance of. Things become both a little clearer and more complicated when Emily receives a visit from the ambassador's daughter, Sachi. The tension increases when the PI that Emily interpreted for is a victim of a hit-and-run attack, and the attacker then goes after Emily and Mustang, who are saved by the timely arrival of the other team members. A suspicious photograph provided by the PI before his accident gives a hint of the issue, which is confirmed by information from an unexpected source. When Emily and Sachi are taken, it's a race against time to save them. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat (and up WAY past my bedtime) as Mustang and the rest of the team raced to the rescue. I loved that Emily didn't just wait around for Mustang to show up but took an active role in her own rescue. What she uncovered along the way was horrifying, and she didn't back down from doing what she thought was right. The ending was a nail-biter and a close call for all of them. There's an interesting twist in the epilogue that connects this story to the earlier two in the series. It will be interesting to follow it to the end and see what it all means.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Emily and Mustang. Mustang was impressed and intrigued by Emily from the first time he met her. The sparks flew between them immediately. Mustang doesn't want anything to distract him from protecting Emily, and he's afraid that giving in will do so. Emily has been so focused on her career that she doesn't have much in the way of experience but is ready to explore what is happening in spite of the danger. Mustang can't deny the need to make sure she is safe, and "sticking like glue" to her side increases the intensity of his attraction and makes it harder to resist. I liked the back-and-forth between them as Mustang has to balance her safety with her stubbornness in certain situations. Though the word "love" comes up quickly, I got the feeling they will still take the time to develop their relationship. I look forward to seeing them in future books. show less

Fun modern take on the fairy-tale "The Frog Prince." Craig is a high-powered New Orleans attorney on a working vacation in Bayou Miste. He spends part of his time helping out at his Uncle Joe's marina and bait shop, part of it recruiting a new client for the family law firm, and the rest indulging in his playboy ways. That is until he messes with the wrong girl and her voodoo queen granny puts a curse on him. Now Craig is a little green frog by day and a man by night, with just two weeks to show more find a woman who can love him and break the spell.

Elaine is a New Orleans scientist who receives an anonymous sample of contaminated bayou water from Bayou Miste. Ready for a break from the lab and her cheating ex-fiancé, she and her trusty microscope head for the bayou to figure out what is causing the contamination. She needs to gather specimens but is terrified of water, which is where Craig comes in. Uncle Joe asks Craig to take Elaine to get what she needs.

I loved the development of the relationship between Craig and Elaine. Their first meeting was hilarious, as Craig had just transformed back to a man from a frog - and frogs don't wear clothes. To say that Elaine got an eye-full would be putting it mildly and roused unfamiliar feelings in her. Just being around Craig short-circuits her brain and turns the ordinarily cool and articulate scientist tongue-tied and clumsy. While Craig may be an insensitive jerk to women at times, he's never deliberately cruel, and when he sees Elaine's genuine fear of the water, he comes through like a champ. I loved his care and understanding as he helped her into the boat and on their journey to the site of the dead fish. Craig's reactions to Elaine surprised him since she isn't his usual type. Craig earned extra points from me when he decided against making her fall in love with him because he didn't want her to get hurt.

The sparks that flew between Craig and Elaine were undeniable. Though determined to do the right thing and leave her alone, Craig found it impossible not to give in to those sparks. The more time they spend together, the more she gets under his skin. Elaine is well aware of his reputation and knows she should stay away from him, but she can't help being drawn to him. With Craig's help, Elaine overcomes her fears and blossoms under his attentions. When Elaine's insecurities make her question her actions, two new friends step up to help her fight for her man. I loved the makeover section and the effect it had on Craig. I loved seeing the commitment-phobic Craig experience changes in his outlook but still worry about hurting Elaine. In the end, danger opens their eyes to their true feelings, and love's true kiss comes through to break the spell.

The mystery of the contaminated bayou water was well done. Elaine's determination to uncover the truth put her and Craig in unexpected danger when one of their trips ran into opposition. If not for Craig's knowledge of the bayou waterways, Elaine's research might have come to an unfortunate end. Craig feared for Elaine's safety when her house was ransacked and her research stolen. I thought I had it all figured out when Elaine found out the only business likely responsible. But an unexpected twist put her in mortal danger. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, and I was glued to the pages until it was all over.

I had a lot of fun watching Craig's antics as both man and frog. I laughed at his encounter with the voodoo queen and his skepticism about the curse - until he woke up as a frog. His descriptions of the world from a frog's-eye view were vivid, and I felt like I was right there with him. I liked his determination to watch over Elaine, even as a frog, and how he got Dawg to help him. Who would have expected a dog to have a pet bullfrog, right? Craig also tended to get caught in awkward places when it was time to transform from frog to man, leaving him "exposed." When in man-form, Craig had to deal with too-helpful friends, old girlfriends showing up at awkward times, and nosy neighbors seeing far too much.

The secondary characters were almost as great as Elaine and Craig. Craig's Uncle Joe had far too much fun giving him a hard time about being a frog, but he also was there when Craig needed him. Nosy neighbor Mozelle had a big heart, and I loved seeing her take Elaine under her wing. When Mozelle and the hairdresser, Josie, set out to help Elaine, she didn't know what hit her. Craig's friends Mo and Larry had me a little confused at first since they helped the voodoo queen and tried to help Craig break the curse.

I've been a fan of Elle James's romantic suspense books for a long time, so when I stumbled across this very different offering, I couldn't wait to read it. I was not disappointed! show less

This was a fantastic conclusion to the series. While each book can be read as a stand-alone, I recommend reading them all, in order, to get the full effect of the overarching storyline. Each book is a complete story involving one couple and solves their immediate problem, but there is also the continuing story of bringing down a domestic terror group. I was fully invested in the whole thing from the very beginning, as Elle James writes truly gripping tales.

CJ Grainger played a large part in show more the previous book, Tactical Force, as the unknown informant who warned the Defenders about sleeper agents in the White House and an impending attack. In this book, we learn more about her as she joins forces with the group to bring down Trinity. CJ was kidnapped as a child and trained as an assassin by Trinity. When she refused to carry out her last mission, she became the target. CJ has been on the run for a year, trying to stay alive while looking for Trinity's leader. Having concluded that she can't do it alone, she has joined forces with Declan's Defenders.

Cole is the team's computer guy. Charlie tasks him with protecting CJ after she revealed herself in the previous book. Cole is a bit frustrated because CJ resists his help, believing that she is better off on her own. I liked his patience, as he understood that CJ had to think he could be trusted before she would accept his help.

It didn't take too long for Trinity's hunters to close in on CJ, forcing her to accept Cole's help. Now that they are constantly in each other's company, the attraction that flared between them from the moment they met grows stronger. I loved the interactions between them, as Cole's protectiveness grows, and CJ hangs on to her independence. I enjoyed seeing that, though Cole is protective, he also respects CJ's capabilities and doesn't try to hold her back. CJ is just as protective of Cole, especially knowing what Trinity is capable of. When everything was all over, I loved Cole's support of CJ and what she wanted for her future. I ached for her as she had trouble believing that he could love someone who was a trained assassin. I loved it when he told her, "Your past doesn't dictate your future. But it helps to shape you into the woman you want to become."

The suspense of the story was fantastic as the team continued its quest to stop Trinity. The intensity increased as the team uncovered pieces of the puzzle and raced to put them together before Trinity could strike again. The scene in the woods was heart-wrenching and showed the depth of CJ's caring, to the point of risking her life. I was glued to the pages as the extent of Trinity's plan was revealed. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, and I was on the edge of my seat until it was over. There was an exciting twist to the conclusion that I didn't see coming but made perfect sense once it was revealed.

Though there was no epilogue, the final chapter provided the perfect wrap-up for both book and series. I loved seeing how CJ's life changed and how she put her past to work for her. There were a couple of surprise announcements from members of Declan's Defenders. There was also a letter from the president with an unexpected result of their efforts stopping Trinity. As much as I liked that surprise, and the men's reaction to it, my favorite was the one about Charlie herself. show less

Terrific book that sucked me in from the beginning and kept me glued to the pages until the end. Jane woke in a small, cell-like room in Syria, beaten severely, and with no memory of who she is or why she is being tortured. An explosion enables her escape from the building. She believes she is an American, and using abilities she doesn't know the source of, makes her way back to the States. A tattoo on her wrist gives her hope that someone knows who she is.

Gus is one of Declan's Defenders, show more detailed to guard their benefactress at a charity gala. He is suspicious of a beautiful woman who then tries to take Charlotte "Charlie" Halverson away from her protectors. Though Jane gets away, she shows up again a short time later, this time lending a hand in saving Charlie from an attempted abduction. Grateful for the assistance, Charlie is intrigued by Jane's story and determined to help her. Gus isn't so sure and is determined to keep an eye on Jane.

I loved the blend of suspense and romance. There are sparks between Gus and Jane from the start. Gus isn't happy about it, as his suspicions war with his attraction. As the team looks into Jane's past, it becomes clear that someone is hunting her, and Gus finds his protective instincts kicking into high gear. Jane may be quite capable of taking care of herself, but that doesn't stop him from wanting to keep her safe. I liked seeing Gus's feelings about Jane change as he spent more time with her and got to know the woman beneath the kick-ass surface. I ached for Jane as her story unfolded, and for her horror at what she learned. I loved seeing how Gus and the others showed her that she was more than her past. I liked the twist at the end that allowed Gus and Jane to hope for a future together.

The suspense of the story was outstanding. There are two layers to the book. The first is discovering who Jane is, who is hunting her and why, and stopping them. The tattoo that sent her looking for Charlie showed that there was some connection with Charlie's late husband. There were some exciting twists and turns as more of John Halverson's secrets come to light. The intensity goes through the roof as the team learns of a planned attack on a preliminary hearing and races to stop it. I was on the edge of my seat as they faced off against the attackers. Jane and Gus had a final hurdle to overcome as they confronted a man whose voice she knew all too well. They got some unexpected help, and the revelation of the bad guy's identity answered a couple of questions. It also showed that there are more things to be discovered.

I loved Charlie's determination to continue John's work, and that Declan's Defenders will be right there with her. I can't wait to see what is next. show less