The Professional - Addison Fox (HRS #1868 - Oct 2015)

Series: Dangerous in Dallas (Book 3)

Despite her job as a wedding planner, Violet Richardson doesn't believe a happy-ever-after is in her future. And when she's kidnapped by a killer, she's surprised that rescue comes in the form of her tempting yet irritating neighbor Max Baldwin.

Trying to forget his dark past, Max never meant to take on his attractive neighbor's troubles. But now the bickering pair must outrun a thug who's determined to get his hands on mysterious jewels he thinks are in Violet's possession. And as they race for their lives through Dallas's summer heat, Max and Violet may finally open their eyes to the burning passion they share.

Excellent book. This one picks up where the second book, Tempting Target, left off. Two of the three jewels are safe, but the bad guy is still determined to get his hands on them. As she and her friends finish one of their events, Violet is kidnapped by him with the purpose of forcing her to hand over the one she has. Just when she's certain she will not survive, she is rescued by Max.

From the moment Violet was taken, Max is determined to get her back safely. As a former military man and combat engineer, he has some unique skills to bring to the problem. The way that he rescued Violet from where she was being held was attention getting and fantastic. But it takes more than that, and Violet and Max have to stay ahead of their pursuer if they want to survive. I loved Max's surprise at Violet's ability to adapt and overcome. They also discover that the intensity of their situation brings their attraction to the irresistible point. I liked the way that the two of them realized that the sparks between them hadn't been dislike at all. It was great to see how much alike they are. Max is adept at seeing past Violet's business persona to the woman beneath and the hurts that have made her who she is. He's hiding some trauma of his own, which makes it easier for him to spot in her. Violet recognizes that he has his own demons, and becomes determined to break through his walls. When she finally succeeds, it is one of the most emotional parts of the book. I loved seeing the honesty with which they treat each other, Their acceptance of each other at the end, with their quirks and hangups was fantastic.

As they rejoin their friends, the focus becomes stopping the bad guy for good. Glimpses of the action from his point of view show just how far he is willing to go to accomplish his goal. Another player enters the picture, and it is hard to tell just what his intentions are. The final confrontation with the bad guy accomplishes our characters' goals, but the questions surrounding the jewels are still there. We are left with quite a cliffhanger, and I can't wait to see how the next book goes.

Tempting Target - Addison Fox (HRS #1858 - July 2015)

Series: Dangerous in Dallas (Book 2)

New danger in Dallas...and what one woman wants to keep hidden

It started with a break-in. Now, after uncovering a priceless treasure hidden in the floor of her wedding catering business, Lilah Castle has a target on her back. A mastermind has made it clear that there are no limits to winning this game. As if that weren't stressful enough, cool-eyed Detective Reed Graystone refuses to stray from her side and his reasons aren't purely professional.

But when the increasing danger is linked to a dark secret from Lilah's past, only Reed will be able to protect her--from peril and from herself. All Lilah has to do is trust him...before it's too late.

Very good continuation of the series. It can be read as a stand alone, as backstory is filled in, but it is better read in order to get the full story. It's a few days after the end of the first book and the women are trying to get caught back up with their business. But none of them can forget the jewels they have and the man who will kill to get them. The book focuses on Lilah, the baker of the business.

Detective Reed Graystone has made it his mission to stay close to Lilah. As the investigator in this case, he is concerned for Lilah's safety. He's not sure that she fully understands just how much danger she is in and he is determined to keep her safe. As he learns more about her and her past, he's impressed with her strength and drawn to the sweetness underneath that strength. As he gets closer to her, I loved his comments about her being a "sugar pusher" and how addictive she is.

Lilah has avoided men ever since the end of her marriage to an abusive man. With the trouble that has come with the discovery of the jewels, she is surprised that she is so comfortable around the three men who have become part of their lives, especially Reed. Besides feeling safe when he is nearby, she is also feeling an attraction she's never felt before. But although she escaped from her marriage, the effects of her husband's abuse are still with her. Most of the time she is very confident in her new life, but now and then she gets really down on herself for what she sees as her stupidity in not seeing him for what he was.

As the investigation continues, the six of them search for the connections that set off the attacks. In the previous book, Cassidy's brother-in-law and ex-fiance had been discovered to be involved, but they suspect that there is more. Further discussion among them leads to Lilah's ex-husband. I loved seeing the way that Lilah insisted on being part of an attempt to discover if he is involved. The scene in the restaurant was fantastic, and Lilah's attitude toward him was great. The attack on Reed and Lilah later that night was nerve wracking, and they were lucky to come out of it as well as they did.

Once again there was someone pulling strings behind the scenes, and danger comes directly to Lilah. It brought back so many fears and bad memories that she could barely move, and she ended up hurting Reed because of it. I understood his feelings and hers, and I loved that they were able to talk it out. 

At this point the identity of the man behind the scenes is revealed. While I had begun to suspect, it was still something of a shock. As he makes another attempt at the rubies, the danger gets even more intense. Once again our cast is safe, but resolution is just out of reach. I am really looking forward to the next book and seeing how it all works out. 

Silken Threats - Addison Fox (HRS #1837 - Feb 2015)

Series: Dangerous in Dallas (Book 1)

Everyone has secrets, and some will kill to keep them buried...

It started with a break-in. And though normally wedding dress designer Cassidy Tate could have handled it, having Tucker Buchanan's strong arms, quick wits and great dog as backup was reassuring The former army engineer turned architect was the perfect guy in an emergency--and the fact that he was willing to pick up the pieces was even more appealing.

Because it turned out it wasn't a simple robbery. Someone was after something in the shop Cassidy and her fellow bridal boutique owners shared. Now Tucker didn't want to let Cassidy out of his sight. But was that to protect her--or claim her for his own?

Cassidy owns a wedding business with her two best friends,Violet and Lilah. When Cassidy arrives at work one morning she discovers that the shop has been broken into and wrecked. Tucker and his dog Bailey are out running, and come to Cassidy's aid when she screams. As Cassidy's partners arrive, and Tucker calls on his partner, they try to figure out why her business was targeted. When their landlady and friend is attacked the same day, they discover that someone thinks there is something valuable hidden in the shop. Tucker's protective instincts kick in and he doesn't want to let Cassidy out of his sight. 

There are sparks between Tucker and Cassidy that continue to grow as they spend more time together. Tucker is a man with some tragedy in his past that makes him more sensitive to the things that have affected Cassidy. I loved his support of her as the mystery brings unhappy memories to haunt her. I also loved seeing what a big part of his life Bailey is. Any man that is so good with his dog has definitely got a good heart. Cassidy is an independent woman because she's had to be. Her family wasn't supportive of her dreams, so she's had to depend on herself before she joined up with her friends. Her sister's suicide has left her feeling guilty because they had never really gotten along and didn't reconcile before Leah's death. And the end of her engagement has her questioning her judgement of her relationships. It's something of a relief to her to be able to lean on Tucker. I loved seeing that immediate connection between them, and how it makes it easier for them to open up with each other. Though each is reluctant to believe that they could fall in love so quickly, they really can't deny the strength of their feelings.

The secondary characters of Lilah, Violet, Max, Jo and Max Senior, are all terrific. Each one is as deeply involved in this book as the main characters are. Jo and Max Senior, as the keepers of the secret, believe that they are keeping the others safe by not telling. Getting them to spill the beans isn't easy, especially as they've kept it for so long. There are some interesting vibes between these two that make me think they're more than just friends. I loved Cassidy's partners Lilah and Violet, both of whom have strong personalities of their own. Lilah seems to have some trouble in her past that have made Cassidy and Violet very protective of her, but she hasn't let it stop her from doing anything she wants. Violet is a force of her own, and that force often seems to clash with Tucker's friend Max. I suspect that the sparks that fly between them aren't all of the antagonistic variety. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them.

I loved the suspense portion of the book. The premise of the story is believable, and the author does a terrific job of setting it up. There are several secrets, and as each new piece of information is uncovered, it became even more intriguing. There are several instances where we get the point of view of the bad guys, one of whom is pulling the strings of the others. With each attack the danger increases, and our characters become more determined to find out who is behind it. The confrontation at the end solved part of the problem, but there are still questions unanswered.