Synopsis

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes the steamy first novel in her new adrenaline-fueled Richter series.

As an employee of MacBain Security and Solutions, Claire Kelly can certainly hold her own. Armed with an impressive set of covert skills, she’s more than prepared to tackle any job that comes her way…except one involving Cooper Lockman.

Cooper and Claire used to work together before his feelings for her sent him packing to Europe for six long years. But now he’s back and determined to ignore the still-smoldering heat that lingers between them.

Their current mission: go undercover together at a California high school to root out the mastermind behind a prostitution ring targeting young girls. The closer they get to the truth and the closer they get to each other, however, the deadlier their task becomes. As Claire and Cooper risk their lives to bring down their target, will their hearts be the final casualties?

Review

This is the first in a new series but the backstory for many characters can be found in other books/series. There is enough information to fill in most of the holes other than what Cooper was doing in Europe before coming back to the US, other than staying away from Claire.

This book hits on a sensitive topic, human trafficking and selling young women (primarily) as sex slaves to others. I appreciated the light that was shed on this topic and what happens to these young people when they don’t think they have anywhere else to turn especially if their home life isn’t supportive.

Claire is 24 in this book but apparently looks younger for her age, enough so to go undercover and pose as a high school senior. There is a reference to the 80s show, 21 Jump Street, and that is what I thought of as I read this book. Claire is one tough young woman and we get some of her backstory about her life at a boarding school in Germany, her fluency in 6 languages, her speed on the track, and her attraction to Cooper.

Cooper and Claire have a past that is rekindled in this book. Enough time has passed since they were last on the same continent that she has matured past her 18 years and has had time to grow and experience life. I enjoyed watching their relationship unfold, although there are times where it almost got them in trouble and might have revealed their true identities. There is a little bit of steam later in the book but it isn’t over the top and adds just the right amount of romance to the story.

This team has been called into two high schools in the area at the request of the police but only the captain is aware of their infiltration into the school. He believes he might have some dirty cops involved and needs them flushed out. There are several possibilities and I wasn’t quite sure who to suspect of being involved in the trafficking. I started to suspect one character and was glad to be proven wrong. The tension mounts as the book progresses and clues are uncovered about the perpetrators. The team, outside of Claire and Cooper, helps round out the story and add dimension to the plot.

I enjoyed this book and give it 4 paws up.

About the Author

Catherine is a #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Indie Reader bestselling author. In addition, her books have also graced The New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists. In total, she has written thirty-six beloved books that have collectively sold more than 8 million copies and have been translated into more than twenty languages.

Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full time and has penned The Not Quite series, The Weekday Brides series, The Most Likely To series, and The First Wives series.

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