Must-read romances: 'Cold Fear,' 'Edge of Honor,' 'Bridge to a Better Life'
Cold Fear by Toni Anderson
What it's about (courtesy of Toni Anderson):
When old evidence turns up on a fresh corpse, ASAC Lincoln Frazer is determined it won't delay the execution of a convicted serial killer. But when more young women are brutally slain, it becomes clear—this new killer is intimately familiar with the old murders.
Former Army Captain Dr. Isadora Campbell helped her mother conceal a terrible crime. After her mother's death, Izzy resigned her commission and returned to the Outer Banks to raise her rebellious teenage sister. But it doesn't take long for Izzy to suspect that someone knows exactly what she did, all those years ago.
With pressure mounting to reopen the old case, Frazer will use any means possible to catch the killer. Thrust together during the investigation, he and Izzy find themselves reluctantly attracted to one another, and begin an affair. Meanwhile the killer is much closer than they think. Izzy's confession of her secret drives Frazer away as he struggles with her deception. By the time he realizes he's fallen in love with the stubborn woman, the killer has her. Now the race is on to save Izzy, and any chance of a future they might have together.
Why you should read it: Toni Anderson owes me sleep. A lot of it. I'm talking hours and hours, people. Her books are unfailingly chilling and intelligent, thrilling and fresh, and exude a deep, dark seductiveness that binds you to the page. I start reading and can't wrench myself away until the very end. Anderson writes creepy as masterfully as she writes romantic, and with her Cold Justice series, she's at her disturbing, sexy best.
It was dark, but the night sky clear. Suddenly she became aware of her heartbeat pounding through her ears, deafening in intensity. Distracting as all get out.
Come on, Izzy, where's your backbone? Where's your training? She searched for her courage as she eased down the stairs, caught between wanting to scare whatever it was away, and wanting to catch anyone who was up to no good. Her hands tightened on the grip of her pistol. Finger off the trigger.
At the bottom of the steps, she flicked on the flashlight only to discover she'd made a critical error. The switch clicked uselessly and nothing happened. A frisson of alarm crackled through the air and a wave of gooseflesh swept over her bare arms. The feeling of menace grew as the silence stretched. Thick shadows saturated the space beneath the house and fear lodged in her throat. She shook the flashlight and banged it against her thigh as if that would help. It rattled uselessly.
The next moment her head was slammed into the railing and light burst behind her eyes, cascading along her nerves through her entire body as agony exploded.
Cold Fear, number four in the series, is rife with life-and-death conflict while offering a romance worthy of a long, drawn-out string of sighs. I adored the premise of two self-contained, independent and uber-capable individuals punishing themselves by not allowing love into their lives. For three books now, I've been tantalized by the glacial FBI agent Frazer, and I couldn't wait to see the Big Thaw. (And, hoo boy, was it worth the wait.) Despite keeping secrets too dangerous to share, he and Izzy do manage to get under each other's skin, and it's a joy to watch them discover how rewarding vulnerability can be. Their first scene as lovers is witty, touching, erotic and atmospheric — Anderson ably sets the mood with a beach-at-night backdrop. Their lovemaking provides a welcome contrast to the story's brutal, heartbreaking opening and the violence it sparks.
You'll also be mesmerized by Izzy's relationship with secondary character Kit Campbell, her teenage sister. Their situation is poignant and frustrating, and nicely offset by Kit's relationship with Frazer, which starts out hostile and gradually transforms into something sweet. An extra treat is the chance to catch up with characters from earlier books in the series — more than mere cameos, their appearances are essential to the story.
It's difficult to spin a new angle on a serial killer, but the inventive Anderson manages it with ease, and the villain's identity is a genuine shocker. At this point, Izzy has confessed her secret to Frazer, and it really does seem all is lost — and we're talking more than Izzy's career, freedom, family and love life here — we're talking her life. You can see why I always choose finishing the book over sleeping! Superbly crafted stories like these are the reason romantic suspense is my go-to genre.
The Edge of Honor by KT Bryan
What it's about (courtesy of KT Bryan):
Dr. Jessica Bentley knows all about monsters. She lives with them. Deals with them every day. But when Jessica warns the city of San Diego about a modern day Jack the Ripper on live TV, she never expects to become the monster's next target.
A serial killer the media has dubbed the "Savior" is terrorizing San Diego. He is a chameleon, a hacker who can create and delete his identity at will. He blazes through firewalls, strolls through doors that are closed to millions, and dreams about saving the world against sin. He's a wizard, a god, a ruthless killer.
Wanted for murder, Navy SEAL Jake Kincaid is battling the feds, the cops, and as the clock winds down on a terrifying deadline, Jake plunges headlong into the most desperate hunt of his life, into the shattering search for a killer, a deadly truth, and for the love of his life, whose past has come back to kill her.
Just how far will a man go to save the woman he loves? The answer is simple—all the way over the edge.
Why you should read it: As menacing as the cover is for KT Bryan's The Edge of Honor, her villain is a trillion times creepier. Seriously, this guy's twisted factor is off the charts. He suffered through a savage childhood that goes a long way toward explaining his evolution from victim to killer, but what's truly fascinating is the clever linking of his past to that of another major character. This is one reason the book opens with a series of scenes in differing points of view, which I initially found disorienting, but it didn't take long before I'd attached to every character. Of course that made it difficult to watch them suffer, but it also made the ending all the more gratifying.
The Savior outsmarts and outmaneuvers Team Edge again and again, which amps up the tension like nobody's business. It's diabolical, how the author makes this believable—after all, Team Edge is a powerhouse of mad military skills—but Bryan pits them against the craftiest of adversaries. As far as the villain's identity? No clue here until I saw the reveal on the page. But the serial killer's not the only source of danger. The book opens with Navy SEALs under fire as they fight to evacuate a hot zone following a counterterrorism mission, and throughout the story the characters encounter bank robbers, muggers, underground gamblers and sinking boats. The action and intensity do not let up. Not even once.
And oh, the romance. Jake and Jessi are not only battling a madman determined to end their lives, they're battling their own insecurities, and a love that doesn't seem meant to be.
"Yeah, well, this cesspool," Jessi waved her hand in the air as worry played across her features, "shouldn't be your problem."
Her words rocked Jake back on his heels. "Not my problem?" He loved her, she knew he loved her and if she'd wanted to smear his character, she'd just done a stellar job.
Especially after what had happened last time— when he couldn't— when he didn't— when he hadn't been able to save her. Or even help her.
He closed his eyes. Swallowed. Took a couple of deep breaths. And then, when he had himself somewhat under control, when he was sure his head wasn't going to explode off his shoulders, he leaned over her and spoke with a steely softness, "Oh, lady, it damn sure is my problem. That's my baby in your belly."
A secondary couple kept me equally rapt, though their storyline is yet to be resolved:
"I don't have all day, Princess. Open up before your psycho killer spots me."
"Go away."
Aaron snorted. "I wish. Now, open the door." He banged again and Nikki's annoyance took a right turn toward temper.
She unlocked and opened the door a crack, leaving the security chain in place. "Look here, I don't care who—"
He snipped the chain with some nifty little tool, pushed past her, and just like that, he was inside.
Before she knew what hit her, he slammed her against the wall and the cold blade of a knife pressed against her throat.
"Tsk, tsk, Miss Edge. If I'd been the killer, you'd be in a world of trouble. Maybe even dead."
She brought her arm up and pepper-sprayed him right in the face.
"Ow! Dammit!" He dropped back two steps and glared at her through tear-laden, pain-filled eyes.
She gave him a smug look and rubbed her throat. "Uh huh. And if you'd been the killer, I'd say you'd be in a world of hurt. Maybe even blind."
The Edge of Honor is the second book in Bryan's Team Edge series (I was thrilled to watch the hero of The Edge of Trust in action again!), and it's one exciting sequel. Balancing the brutality is a welcome layer of wry humor and surprising sentimentality (I admit it, I cried). Bryan knows her guy-speak, excels in keeping her reader guessing, and creates one heck of a disturbing baddie. The Edge of Honor is a raw, dark, high-tempo thriller layered with delicious romance. It's a lot of book to read in one sitting, but trust me, you'll try.
The Bridge to a Better Life by Ava Miles
What it's about (courtesy of Ava Miles):
Sports hero and newly retired NFL quarterback Blake Cunningham wants a second chance at love…with his ex-wife. He's bought the house next door to her in Dare Valley and has built a bridge connecting their properties. It's his bridge to a better life, the one he lost when Natalie Hale left him after a family tragedy destroyed their marriage.
Natalie has just started a new job as the head caterer at the small town's historic hotel. When she discovers Blake has become the boy next door—literally—she secretly has to admit he still fires up all her engines and tugs at her heart. But the ghosts from their past seem too monumental to conquer.
Blake vows to help Natalie remember the power of their love and friendship. With the intense sparks of attraction flying between them, Natalie begins to put her heart out there again. How can she resist Blake when he makes her laugh and swoon by even acting out her secret Outlander fantasy? As they both give love a second chance, they are forced to face their most disturbing memories, not only the tragedy that ripped their lives apart, but also the secret parts they were afraid to share…
Why you should read it: Talk about intense. Ava Miles' latest is a potent, super-engaging read that will leave you an emotionally exhausted wreck — in the best possible way, of course. With breathtaking emotional insight and a solid instinct for achieving just the right balance between heartbreak and joy, Miles offers a story of grief, healing and rediscovered love.
"Come on. I'll pour you your favorite tea, and we can cuddle on the couch."
He wanted to cuddle? She couldn't bear it. There was a white-out blizzard swirling inside her. Cuddling wouldn't keep it away. She knew only one sure way to battle its frigid temperatures.
Keep busy. Don't touch anyone. Block everything out.
"Go to the game, Blake. I'll be fine."
"You're not fine, honey. Your best friend and sister-in-law just died. No one would be fine after that."
He'd only started calling her honey since Kim had been diagnosed. She hated it. Before, she'd always been babe, carefree babe.
Natalie simply can't cope with the tragedy of losing her best friend to cancer, and the author makes that clear in a beautifully written prologue that's r-a-w raw. Her heroine's actions following the tragedy are self-centered, and border on cruel, but Miles provides her with a motivation made forgivable through its degree of desperation. Still it's a bit tough to connect with Natalie until midway through the story, and easy to funnel all sympathy toward Blake, who struggles mightily to help his wife. I would have loved to have seen a glimpse of Natalie pre-tragedy, to help me understand the depth of her husband's devotion, though she does pay her dues. Family is vital to her, which is why it's all the more poignant when she finds out she doesn't have the support she thought she had. And we do see her shamed after an evening of too much alcohol, when she tries to seduce a tortured Blake who's doing all he can to respect her boundaries. At the same time, we get a taste of Natalie's capacity for silliness à la the hilarious bumper sticker feud with her brother, and her interactions with Blake's teammates (their team is one big tangle of bromance). Then there are lines like this, that make you want to hug her hard:
Her voice broke, like a pane of glass cracking at the center, the slivers shivering out until they touched everything in their wake.
Blake's openness provides an effective contrast to Natalie's self-protectiveness, and I fell completely in love with him when he assured her she never had to worry about "balancing the scales." Though the lopsidedness in their relationship is occasionally frustrating, it's also authentic, and always offsetting the sour is the sweet in the form of the bridge that Blake built — Blake and Natalie often meet in its symbolic center.
The Bridge to a Better Life is book eight in the Dare Valley Series. (By the way, the rest of the covers are equally gorgeous. I could stare forever.) Miles' story savvy, sense of humor, respect for her readers and empathy for her characters shine through in this heart-breaking, soul-searching chronicle of a couple's struggle back to each other, and to a new normal.
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.