Must-read romances: 'Convicted,' 'The Texan's Little Secret,' 'Game of Fear'
Convicted by Dee Tenorio
What it's about (back cover copy courtesy of Entangled):
Former Marine and new Sheriff's Deputy Cade Evigan is hanging onto his damaged soul—and his personal code—by a thread. His current mission? Weed out a violent motorcycle crew from a small mountain town. The problem? Katrina Killian, a woman standing firmly on the other side of the law, smack in the middle of the gang he's there to destroy. She may get under his skin, but the sultry biker has criminal written all over her. So why can't he see her like any other convict?
For two years, Katrina has been a DEA agent hiding in plain sight amidst a pack of killers, working to put an end to the gang that has terrorized her hometown. The last thing she needs is to fall in love with a man who could blow her cover—and her heart—to pieces, but Cade's become an addiction she can't break. Unable to risk either of their lives with the truth, she plays both ends against the middle to keep him safe. But lies can only last so long, and Katrina's time has just run out…
Why you should read it: The saucy, straight-shooting voice of the story's heroine won me over the moment I met her. Katrina harbors a simmering curiosity about the town's newest deputy, and she doesn't hesitate to let him know it.
"You know, you could stand to work on your people skills. Most people around town don't even know what your first name is. They just keep calling you that big fella. Even the other deputies. I heard there's a running pool on what the C stands for." If Katrina had her usual access, she'd have found out in a heartbeat, but she was so far off the grid that local gossip was her main source of information and the town had a great big blank when it came to this particular tidbit. Call her a control freak, but she didn't like holes in her knowledge. "The big money is on Cecil, but I hope to God you didn't get saddled with that one. It's just not the kind of name you can see yourself screaming in bed—"
She's bawdy, bold and bad@$$, delightfully and uniquely aggressive in her attempts to shock the hero into noticing her, not only so she can do her job as an undercover agent, but because she wants him in her bed — or anywhere she can get him. The enigmatic hero does his best to ignore her, but he can't resist her cheerful cockiness any more than I can, and he soon finds himself looking forward to their conversations, no matter how one-sided they may be.
"I asked how you've been since you moved to Marketta. People treating you right?" When he still didn't say anything, she sighed. "You're this close to bruising my ego, Tiger."
His snort of disbelief made her grin. He might not talk much, but he was listening.
"Yeah, okay, my ego is pretty impenetrable, but it'd still make a girl feel pretty if you answered her questions."
"I'm fine." Sure he was. Fine people always snarled.
She decided to sound happy with that. "Was that so hard?"
His glare should have set her on fire.
But it's obvious to both of them — and thrillingly apparent to the reader as well — that Cade is as hot for Katrina as she is for him. He does his frustrated best to hold out and she does her desperate best to get him naked, and the ensuing sexual tension practically makes the pages sweat. When Tenorio writes sex, she doesn't fool around. Her intimacy scenes are intense, moody, raw, powerful, and complicated. And soooo worth a second or third or 10th read.
The author achieves a potent balance between erotic and emotive. There's a sweetness that laces the main characters' interactions — Katrina's nighttime visits will both charm you and choke you up. She coaxes Cade out of his shell, which takes time, and a heck of a lot of effort (though it's not just him she's refusing to give up on). Their contrast is fascinating. She's a vital character, while he considers himself deadened, and this renders their situation all the more poignant. In fact, it was tough to see a way out for any of the townspeople. The storyline has a High Noon kind of vibe, and it's as captivating as the characters.
The conflict is powerful and concrete, occasionally brutal and always exciting. The story's grittiness extends to humor, as well:
"Killing him isn't going to change anything, Cade." It wouldn't make him pay for his crimes.
"I'm not killing anyone. I'm just going to shoot him several times. If he dies, that's his fault."
Tenorio's thrilling plot unfolds at a swift and edgy pace, with an effective ratio of suspense to romance, and intense between-the-sheets action for a protective hero harboring a mysterious rage and an intrepid heroine who can't help but try to rescue him — even when she herself seems beyond saving. Convicted is fierce, fast, heart-rending and raw — Dee Tenorio, where have you been all my romantic-suspense-reading life?
What Dee Tenorio has to say …
When I was 10 years old, my mother moved us to her hometown in San Diego County. It was a tiny speck of a town filled with two things: cowboys and military. And let me tell you, many of those cowboys were also military. I'm not sure I can express what it's like to live in a military town. Everyone's dad — and often their moms — were in the service. Crew cuts, camo and the correct usage of "ma'am" became part of everyday life. Even Little League was run with military precision. There was also a sense of absolute safety, which was new for me, having grown up until then in Fresno's inner city, rife with gangs, death and fear. While a good number of folks were Navy, my hometown was almost unequivocally a Marine town. I loved those men and women who could hug the life out of you with a smile one second and snap someone in half the next, if the situation called for it. Their code of honor was more than a phrase to them. It was their lifeblood and I found I could trust in that more than in anything else in my life to that point.
I was in middle school when the Gulf War first broke out and for the first time, the other side of military life became clear. Parents away for years at a time. Kids wearing dog tags to hold the fear for their fathers at bay. And when loved ones did return, they sometimes came back…different. I didn't understand at the time, but as I grew older, I wanted very much to do something for those men and women who'd so protected and inspired me. Writing Convicted, a story about a Force Recon/MARSOC Marine who has lost his way, is my thank you. I wanted the character of Cade to embody the honor and the struggle that many of our military forces face today. To show it's not just a matter of putting on a gun and walking calmly away from an explosion. Surviving is about heart and courage, and so is coming home. I can only hope I did those men and women proud.
The Texan's Little Secret by Barbara White Daille
What it's about (back cover copy courtesy of Harlequin):
Coming home might be the worst decision Carly Baron has ever made. Each minute on her family's busy ranch is one minute closer to seeing him — her first love — the man who broke her heart seven years ago. While coming face-to-face with Luke Nobel again brings back painful memories, Carly quickly realizes there are other strong feelings just under the surface….
Luke would be a lot better off if Carly had stayed away. Being a single dad to an adorable two-year-old girl and managing the Roughneck is tough enough, but resisting the sparks that fly whenever he and Carly are together is near impossible. But first she must tell him her secret. The truth could heal their past…or forever destroy their chances of becoming a family.
Why you should read it: Barbara White Daille writes soul-stirring, heartwarming, how will they ever work it out? romance that's as feel-good as it can get. Twice now she's been selected as an RT Book Reviews Top Pick, and for good reason — this author really knows her way around a happy ever after.
The Texan's Little Secret centers on Luke's pride and Carly's secret pain and how, despite the bitter feelings they never resolved, they earn a second chance at a happy ending (and boy howdy, do I adore second chance romances!). The situation that led to their breakup may seem simple on the surface, but it reveals a great deal about Carly and Luke — who they were and what they had to cope with as teens, how their issues affected their transformation into adults, and why neither is looking forward to their reunion.
Of course that reunion does take place, and afterward you'll ache right along with these characters as they deal with each other, their past hurts, and their complicated families. Carly made a terrible mistake years ago, but Luke admits he let her make it. Now he says that if they're to have any hope of a future, they must be open and honest. But Carly has no desire to reveal her secret. Not to her family, and especially not to Luke. Daille's splendid storytelling brings to life Luke's frustration and Carly's panic. But these feelings can't forestall the inevitable kiss.
"So, what exactly would you call that?" she demanded, her voice raspy. "An olive branch? A peacekeeping effort? The modern-day equivalent of a handshake?"
"I'd call it a step or two over the line from friendly," he admitted.
"And not too smart."
"Maybe not. But nice. Very nice." He gave her a crooked smile that made her reel just a little more. "And now it's out of the way."
"What is?"
"The worry over when it was going to happen."
Luke will definitely have your heart going pitter-pat. His determination to earn respect in the ranching world and his steadfast patience are attractive enough, but his interactions with his daughter couldn't be more charming. Though his response to Carly's secret is surprising, it's completely in character, and your heart is sure to pick up its pitter-pat pace. Once the secret is out, the resolution does arrive a tad quickly — I would have liked the chance to watch Carly accept and enjoy her emotionally aired-out world.
Besides the creation of captivating, realistic characters, another of Daille's trademarks is unpredictability in plotting, and this certainly applies to Luke and Carly's story. A number of twists will have you sitting up and taking notice, and will sow delicious doubt about that happy ending.
Another gripping dynamic is the long-ago disappearance of Carly's mother. This is an overarching plot in the Texas Rodeo Barons series, and I can relate to Carly's desperation — I need to find out the true story behind her departure. The Texan's Little Secret is book three in the continuity, which features quite a lineup of Harlequin American authors, including Donna Alward, Trish Milburn, Pamela Britton, Cathy McDavid and Tanya Michaels.
Daille's latest is a bittersweet, gratifying romance about family, forgiveness, and finding where you belong. While losing yourself in The Texan's Little Secret, you'll be elated to belong to the Barons and their Roughneck Ranch.
What Barbara White Daille has to say …
For me, starting a new book means getting to know my characters: Uncovering their quirks … discovering their dreams … learning what makes them laugh or sigh, how they react in awkward situations, and why they change the conversation immediately every time a certain topic crops up.
But sometimes, no matter how much plotting writers do, things happen that they haven't anticipated. Here's an example from The Texan's Little Secret.
Devoted daddy that he is, Luke intends to give his daughter some brothers and sisters, and naturally, any woman he'll ever get serious with has to want a houseful of kids. Yet I had no idea he felt that strongly about the issue until he made it clear in the story.
The element of surprise is probably one of the biggest reasons I write fiction. I especially love when the surprises come to me straight from the characters — even if that often means I'm the last to know!
Game of Fear by Robin Perini
What it's about (back cover copy courtesy of Montlake):
In the cockpit, Search and Rescue pilot Deb Lansing is in control: her flight, her rules. But after the suspicious disappearance of her supersmart younger sister, she knows this is one rescue mission she can't fly solo. She needs help. She needs Gabe Montgomery.
An earth-shattering betrayal led former SWAT officer Gabe Montgomery to his current deep-cover assignment. But he trusted Deb Lansing with his life once before and she'd pulled him through. Now it's his turn to repay the feisty redhead — even if it threatens to blow his covert op.
As Deb and Gabe get closer to the answers — and closer to each other — their investigation reveals a startling pattern: gifted kids from all over the country are going missing after mastering the popular video game Point of Entry. And when bodies turn up, the new lovers will face a ruthless fiend known only as the Warden. Will they be able to find Deb's sister, or will she vanish like so many others?
Another pulse-pounding Montgomery Justice novel proves that a Montgomery man always plays to win.
Why you should read it: Game of Fear is the third of Robin Perini's Montgomery Justice novels and oh, yeah, does she do justice to the Montgomery men. So far I've savored stories about Luke, an Army Ranger turned reporter (In Her Sights); Zach, an actor who lived a double life as a CIA operative (Behind the Lies); and now Gabe, an undercover sheriff's deputy who's part-owner of a popular cop bar and walks with a hard-earned limp.
These men are brave. Loyal. Fearless. And sexy as all get-out.
Not to mention (excuse me while I shudder with glee), they have three more brothers. But let me get back to the current alpha, and his story.
Both Gabe and Deb will win your respect from the get-go. They both want, above all else, to keep their families safe, despite having felt for years like outsiders. Neither hesitates to put themselves on the line to save others' lives, and neither gives themselves the credit they deserve for it. They're both haunted — and motivated — by past traumas. These traumas provide the drive to save everyone but sets them up for failure at the same time, because of course they can't save everyone. Including themselves. Especially themselves. Which makes romance a non-starter. Or at least, they believe it should.
Yeah, Gabe was in trouble. He liked her too much. He noticed too much, and he really shouldn't be thinking about her. Not during the investigation.
"So, boss, when are you going to ask her out?"
Gabe whipped his head up and glared. "You know, they say that only the good die young, but in your case, an exception can be made."
"You wuss, Montgomery. Stop hiding behind your bar apron strings. Man up and ask her out."
Gabe wished he could.
Perini's unfailing ability to make you care about her characters means you're 100 percent invested in not only the story, but the characters' well-being, and Perini threatens that well-being at every opportunity — and those opportunities are usually ones you don't see coming. They'll shock you, captivate you, and horrify you, again and again and again, in true Perini style.
The book's premise is slick and engrossing. The villains are using cutting-edge technology in a scary and realistic way — teenagers, too. The concept is fascinating and oh-so-impressive. I would have liked to see more details about the villains' motivation, though money and power are clear catalysts.
The body count is high, the stakes even higher. But the brutality and sadism is well balanced by the family aspect, which is fun and complicated stuff. The Montgomerys form their "own little commando unit" and their mad skills are thrilling to watch. They do keep secrets from each other, though. For good reason, but the reasons don't much mitigate the fallout when those secrets are revealed.
Three brothers down, three to go, and you can bet I'll be dealing with a serious case of the DTs as I await the next Montgomery Justice thriller. (Please note, though — each book can easily be appreciated without having read the others. The integration of past characters and their stories is smooth and non-intrusive.) Perini's heroines are as strong as her heroes, which makes reading her books equally empowering and enjoyable. The sexual tension, by the way, sizzles, and I appreciate that the author lets the sex occur naturally, rather than letting the life-and-death-situations dictate the timing. It's not all death threats and shootouts, though — more than one scene moved me to tears.
Gabe shrugged out of his jacket, too, and tossed it next to Deb's. He kind of liked how they looked together, side by side, not alone.
There's plenty of stress-releasing humor, as well.
If most men had tried to tell her how to do her job, she'd have kicked them hard enough to disable the guy's ability to pass on his genes.
Robin Perini's brilliant plotting and stunning story craft make Game of Fear not only a must-read, but a must-read now.
What Robin Perini has to say …
One of my favorite things about this book are the two heroines, Deb Lansing and her sister, Ashley. I love strong heroines. You know the kind … the kind of woman I would hope I would be. Brave, strong, courageous … someone who will risk it all for the people she loves. Someone who will fight … and keep fighting until the end. Someone who leaves it all on the field until the job is done.
Deb is just such a heroine. Her sister, too. Even facing a horrific kidnapping, Ashley Lansing strives to channel Deb. I named Deb after the first woman to fight in combat for the United States. Deborah Samson dressed as a man for over a year during the Revolutionary War and was wounded twice. Deb Lansing grew up in a military family, where duty, honor and country are everything. And so is family. Deb gave up her career to watch after her younger sister. Without hesitation, without question.
Who else could match that level of loyalty and that kind of faith other than a Montgomery brother? This is my third Montgomery Justice novel (after In Her Sights and Behind the Lies). They are all stand-alone novels, and they all celebrate family — even in the midst of danger. Six brothers whose mother, Anna, raised her boys to be the perfect match for a true heroine!
It's why I write romantic suspense. It's why I love romance. Because a strong woman and a strong man are unstoppable. No matter the odds.
Kathy Altman's latest contemporary romance novel is Staying at Joe's. Kathy prefers her chocolate with nuts, her Friday afternoons with wine and her love stories with happy ever afters. Her website is KathyAltman.com.