Danger Rising (Red Stone Security #20)

Katie Reus

Blurb:

She’s going after what’s hers.

When Lana’s mom died, she was heartbroken. And when her mom’s business partner stole a priceless family heirloom, she vowed to get it back. The former thief has no problem taking what’s hers—except this time she ends up stealing more than she bargained for. Now Lana is in possession of dangerous information, the kind that could get her and anyone she cares about killed. When the man who broke her heart shows up offering to help—a man she thought was dead—she accepts. But only because she needs a trained partner to pull off her next job. And this time she’ll protect her heart at all costs. Teague already broke it once. She won’t let him in again, no matter how much he tempts her.

And it could get her killed.

Black Ops agent Teague has been watching Lana from the shadows for months. It killed him to keep his distance but he couldn’t let her know he was alive until he was sure it was safe—until his enemies were dead. But now she’s in grave danger and she’s his to protect, always has been. He never got over Lana; she’s in his blood. He’s just got to prove she can trust him—and convince her to give him a second chance. But first they’ll have to work together to stop a monster—and outrun the people who want them dead.

Themes: Contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating:

Review:

Red Stone continues as the craziness begins with two lovers separated by death that will be reunited when one is put in danger and the other refuses to allow that. Katie Reus is one of my favorite authors, able to cross between contemporary and paranormal with an ease that is sometimes scary and her writing is always fresh and fascinating. In this latest installment, Lana is a nurse with a hidden skill most of her friends are unaware of, a skill for thievery that runs in the family, and one that she is going to have to call on now if she wants to get back the family heirloom that was stolen from her mother and that might have cost her mother her life. Lana has lost all those she loved, including her lover Teague, and she refuses to lose the one thing left of her mother in the world. When she sets out to steal the heirloom back, she is mortified to find that Teague is not only alive, but he is determined to work with her to keep her safe, claiming he left her for her own good, leaving her heartbroken in the process. Teague never stopped loving Lana, but he knew that leaving her was the only way to keep her safe from his enemies, but he has returned now to keep her safe from hers, and won’t ever be able to leave her again. Determined not only to keep her safe, but to win her back, Teague pulls out all the stops to steal back her heart as they work together to steal back her family heirloom, but their enemy knows they’re out there and will stop at nothing to kill them both. I really loved reading Lana and Teague’s story, after all what’s better than and alpha idiot that did the ultimate stupid thing of leaving his girl behind for her own sake. It always leads to sparks and passionate anger when he comes back to reclaim her heart. Lana was the type of strong female lead that I love to read and that Katie reus is know for, standing up for herself in all things whether against their enemy or against Teague himself. She is intelligent, fast-thinking, resourceful, and loving to those that she’s brought into her circle. While she makes him pay for his mistake, when she ultimately forgives Teague for his dumb choice, she offers her heart completely and without reserve. Teague is obviously the ultimate kickbutt fighter and protector, a hero through and through and I loved seeing him fighting for what he wanted and protecting Lana at every turn. He and his friends at Red Stone were willing and able to do whatever it took to make sure that she was safe and succeeded in her mission, but his supreme goal seemed to quickly become winning her back for keeps. The heat between these two, whether they were arguing or loving was undeniable and intense, but once they find their way to forgiveness that passion runs almost too hot to handle. I am dying to read more in this series and to see which of the Red Stone operators falls in love next and what types of hoops Katie makes them jump through to earn their HEA.

*eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.