Yeah ! We are back to the Sean and Lucy that I love.

The last couple of books in this series made me wonder if I could continue, however, Make Them Pay is a wonderful adventure with Lucy and Sean. Sean's family plays a big role in the story--both good and bad. I always wondered about the twins and now I know. Old grudges come to the surface and the Rogan's need to deal with it. I worried from beginning to end.

What I love about the series, which continues in this book, is the fast-paced, non-stop action. There is never a lull in the story. We get a lot of answers to questions that rolled forward from the previous books; Lucy and Sean are working together as a team to solve the mystery. Kane is a wonderfully complex character. It looks like he is going to play a role in future stories too.

I love the return of Noah Armstrong. He finally made me feel good about him. We get the story behind Noah's anger with the Rogan's. What a surprise that was! In the past, Noah was hard for me to read, but I have a better handle on what makes him tick now. I hope we see him again in future books. There are going to be changes in the future. It will be fun to see what happens with some characters in question.

I recommend this series to mystery/romance lovers. As much as I love this book, it would be hard to start the series here. There are too many characters who are important to the story who were introduced over the previous thirteen books. Their backstory is essential to loving this book. Start at the beginning and enjoy the ups and downs of the characters. It is worth your time. ( )

Make them Pay by Allison Brennan is a 2017 St. Martin’s Press publication.

This twelfth installment in the Lucy Kincaid series is filled with action, suspense, intrigue and family drama.

While Sean is out of town, Lucy is surprised by the sudden arrival of Sean’s estranged sister, Eden. sudden arrival, but since she is family, Lucy agrees to let Eden stay with her.

However, Lucy soon discovers, Eden is not as excited about Lucy’s upcoming wedding as she let on, instead having some serious ulterior motives behind her sisterly visit.

It would seem that Eden and her twin brother, Liam, are looking for treasure their parents commissioned them to find before their tragic deaths. Liam’s obsession, however, has caused him to rationalize criminal activity and created a deep chasm between himself and his older brother, Kane. The treasure is rumored to be cursed, and judging by the cause and effect seen here, I am inclined to agree.

However, Lucy’s worry over an illegal adoption collides with Eden and Liam’s treasure hunt, making her a pawn and putting her in the middle of a deadly situation that only Kane, Jack and Sean can save her from.

I really enjoyed this book immensely! It’s stylish, emotional, fast-paced, with a dash or romance added in for good measure. Although some characters are left rethinking their futures, I loved seeing a few long overdue happily ever afters, even though the road to happiness is bittersweet.


Overall, this is a fantastic addition to an awesome series!

4.5 stars ( )

Lucy Kincaid and Sean Rogan are two short weeks away from finally getting married. A surprise visitor, Sean’s estranged sister, Eden, arrives unexpectedly, hoping to make peace with the brother she hasn’t spoken to in years.

While Lucy is involved in finding the babies sold through illegal adoptions, Noah Armstrong is certain Eden . . . and her twin brother, Liam . . . are up to something nefarious. He knows the relationship between Eden and Liam and the rest of the family has been broken for years; he fears their sudden return may hurt Lucy in some way. Can he unravel the twins’ latest scheme?
When Lucy disappears, Noah and the FBI join forces with the Rogan and Kincaid families to find her before a longtime enemy of the Rogan clan can exact revenge.

The well-developed characters show their strengths as well as their vulnerabilities and their weaknesses. A twisty, occasionally grim, plot draws readers in from the very beginning; fans of the Lucy Kincaid stories will find much to appreciate in this latest tale. Each page turned ramps up the tension; readers will be hard-pressed to set this one aside before turning the final page.

Highly recommended. ( )