The Chase (Holt Lasher #1)

The Chase by Jesse J Thoma is the first book in the Holt Lasher series. Holt is a skip tracer who is known around the Providence, Rhode Island area as someone not to mess with.

Holt is chasing a kid she has caught before. Peanut is always in trouble for misdemeanor crimes and never seems to make it to court. Even though Holt always catches him, he is running.

After a chase through two neighborhoods and over too many tall fences, Holt catches him in someone's backyard - just in time for Peanut to tackle her into the pool - saving her from the shotgun blast that just came over the fence.

Isabelle Rochat, a CPA, is upset that someone chased a criminal into her backyard and brought danger into her life. But Holt is convinced that the shot was meant for Isabelle.

Holt assigns her crew to watch Isabelle until she can convince her she is in danger and can help get her out.

Thoma has created a kickass super hero in Holt Lasher. Her books are fast reads that will pull reader in and not let go.

Thoma, Jesse. (2013). The Chase. Valley Falls, NY: Bold Strokes Books.

Pedal to the Metal (Holt Lasher #2)

Pedal to the Metal by Jesse Thoma is the second book in her Holt Lasher series. Lasher has a bounty hunter agency and a reputation in Providence, Rhode Island for getting the job done.

Max Winter has worked for Holt for a while but has never in the field. Max is a computer expert and usually does her work from the office, but Holt is moving her to the field for their next case.

Car thefts have skyrocketed in Providence and Holt has been asked to investigate. The police have found no evidence about who is behind the increase. In order to gain an inside edge, Whitney Williams - who goes by Dubs - will be released early from prison to assist. Dubs is one of the best car thieves on the East coast.

While Dubs is helping out she is still a flight risk, with Holt on the line, so she will be handcuffed to Max for the duration of the case or unless she proves trustworthy.

Thoma's has written a high adrenaline suspense novel and created a kick ass character in Holt Lasher.

Thoma, Jesse. (2015). Pedal to the Metal. Valley Falls, NY: Bold Strokes Books.

Tumbledown (Sequel to Desolation Point)

Tumbledown by Cari Hunter, a sequel to Desolation Point, is a thriller that will have readers biting their nails until the end.

Alex Pascal and Sarah Kent survived a terrible chase through the wilderness in Washington state two years ago. After their ordeal and escape, the FBI told them to lay low. They were not put into witness protection, but there was a chance that the white supremacist group would try to find them to exact revenge for spoiling their plans.

Now Sarah and Alex, using a new last name, are living in a small town in Maine. Alex is on the local police force and Sarah is a first responder studying to become an EMT. Their lives are good. They still keep a watch around their cabin and have a good lock on the gate, but life is what they want it to be.

When Sarah gets called to assist with a birth (because the only ambulance near by has already pick up a heart attack case) she gets her picture in the local paper. When Sarah and Alex find the picture, they are worried that it will be seen. But it is such a small town...

Caleb Deakin has not stopped looking for the two women he blames for his father's death. He has paid a lot of money for a computer that will scan for their names and images each day. When he gets a hit he immediately packs for a trip to Maine.

Hunter has created another book that will keep readers up late for the thrill ride.

Hunter, Cari. (2014). Tumbledown. Valley Falls, NY: Bold Strokes Books.

Desolation Point

Desolation Point by Cari Hunter is a race through the wilderness running from a madman.

Alex Pascal was a Los Angeles cop. When chasing brothers who were wanted for rape and torture, Alex was captured and tortured before her partner could find her. After multiple surgeries, Alex went back to work, but her heart was no longer in it. Eventually, she took a job in Washington on a small farm.

Sarah Kent was in a car accident with her sister and mother. She was the only one who survived. After months of surgeries and physical therapy, she decided to do some traveling and get out of England.

Sarah and Alex are both hiking in the North Cascades. A storm is moving in and Sarah is hoping for a couple more days before weather runs her off of the mountain. Alex is sure it will storm soon, but when she reaches the last boat out, two men tell her about Sarah and that she is still on the mountain. Alex decides to look for her.

After reaching the top, Sarah gets disoriented in the fog. After hiking for a while she hears voices. But the voices are not friendly. One belongs to an escape convict who is the target of a state-wide manhunt. When Sarah flees, she grabs a bag instead of her backpack, but she is too scared to go back because of the armed man behind her.

Hunter has written a fast-paced thriller set in an unforgiving wilderness. Her characters are well developed and compelling. Fans will be glad to know that there is a sequel, Tumbledown, that takes place a couple of years later.

Hunter, Cari. (2013). Desolation Point. Valley Falls, NY: Bold Strokes Books.

Hunter's Pursuit

Hunter's Pursuit by Kim Bladwin is the story of a woman who retired from her job and just wanted to live in peace and quiet.

Kat is an assassin who went by the code name Hunter. She hasn't taken a job for over five years. She has plenty of money and just wants a quiet life now. She is currently living in one of her safe houses - one built into the side of a mountain - more of a bunker than a house.

One night while she is out hunting for food, she sees a car drive off the side of the icy road and flip. Though she is not normally one to help a stranger, she is compelled to help the woman in the car. She pries her out and takes her back to her house.

It is suspicious that a woman showed up on an isolated mountain road on the same day Kat found out that here is a contract on her head. Kat does not believe in coincidences, but the woman has amnesia. Kat's instincts tell her that the woman is not a threat.

But according to her source, three people (one woman and two men) have accepted the contract to collect one million if she is killed. And if it doesn't start snowing again soon, the tracks she left from the car accident to her hidden home will be easy to follow.

Baldwin has created a tense action packed story on one woman's quest to stay alive. Readers will stay up late to see how it ends.

Baldwin, Kim. (2005). Hunter's Pursuit. New York: Bold Strokes Books.

Mounting Danger

Mounting Danger by Karis Walsh is the story of a fledgling mounted police force in Tacoma, Washington.

Sargent Rachel Bryce of the Tacoma is an outcast. She had a fellow officer arrested when he broke the law instead of looking the other way or handling it in house. Now very few officers speak to her and it is making her job difficult.

When she is called into her boss's office she is surprised to find she is being assigned to the new mounted force. The program is so new that the horses and riders are still being trained. Luckily, Rachel grew up on a ranch and knows horses better than people. But she has little time to get them ready for their debut.

Callan Lanford, a local celebrity and polo player, has been asked to help with the training. She was going to turn it down until Rachel talks to her. Cal remembers Rachel from college. They played polo against each other. Now, if Rachel can score a point on her she will help.

Walsh has written a suspenseful mystery with two compelling main characters. The plot has twists and turns as the characters try to figure out who is sabotaging the mounted program and how to overcome each obstacle. Walsh is one of the stars of the small publisher Bold Strokes Books.

Walsh, Karis. (2013). Mounted Danger. New York: Bold Strokes Books.

Flight Risk

Flight Risk by Kim Baldwin is the story of one woman on the run from the mob after she witnesses an execution.

Blayne Keller works with her best friend at a travel agency in Chicago. During the winter they take turns going out in the cold to get lunch, so when Claudia forgets drinks Blayne volunteers to sneak next door to the soda distribution warehouse to grab some of the extra cans that are always laying around. Luck is not on her side when her visit overlaps with a mob boss exacting payment for an underling who has been skimming profits.

The FBI gets inside in time to save Blayne from the mob boss, but she will have to stay in protective custody until the trial. Unfortunately, there seems to be a leak because the mob keeps finding her.

In an out of the box move, a supervisor at Witness Protection calls in a former agent who can work off of the radar and keep Blayne safe. Alexi Nikolos was a great agent until someone under her protection was killed. She will not let it happen again with Blayne - especially after she begins to develop feelings toward her.

Baldwin has written a series of events that keep her main characters on the run from the US to Canada to Europe while trying to escape the hitmen on their trail in this romantic suspense novel. Flight Risk is a fun read for those who want some action with their romance.

Baldwin, Kim. (2007). Flight Risk. New York: Bold Strokes Books.

Do or Die (Reluctant Heroes #1)

Do or Die by Suzanne Brockmann is the first book in her Reluctant Heroes series, a spin-off of her Troubleshooters series.

Ian Dunn is an ex-Navy SEAL who is in jail for a bar brawl when a lawyer he has never seen, Martel Griffin, tells him he has a get-out-of-jail-(almost)-free card. Another lawyer he has never meet says she is his lawyer and thinks he should take the deal. Time served if he helps rescue two children kidnapped and being held in a foreign embassy. The government cannot send in anyone associated with the US government, but by being thought of as a rogue Dunn can be used.

Dunn is in jail for a reason. He made a deal to keep his brother and his family safe from the Dellarosa family who runs Miami. And Manny Dellarosa will not know why Dunn is out, just that he is - which will likely make him believe that Dunn traded information for release.

Phoebe Kruger, Dunn's new lawyer, just inherited his case. She thinks Dunn is a jewel thief but there was never enough evidence to convict him. Now she is confused as to why he would not take a deal that ends with his freedom.

Now Dunn, Kruger and Martel have joined forces both to rescue the kidnapped children, but to deal with the fallout from the Dellarosa family. Brockmann is a master in her field. Her characters are people you would want to know. Her plots are twisty and wonderful. And her romance is steamy. She is a must read author for anyone who loves a well-crafted story.

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2014). Do or Die. New York: Ballantine Books.

Crash into Me

Crash into Me by Jill Sorenson is the story of an FBI investigation into a serial killer in La Jolla, California.

Special Agent Sonora Vasquez is being sent undercover to catch a serial killer. The killings are taking place in and around La Jolla, a beautiful beach community in Southern California. Sonny is from the area originally. Trace evidence from the slain women leads investigators to believe the unsub is a surfer. Sonny will be following retired pro-surfer Ben Fortune.

Ben lives on the beach with his daughter, sixteen year old Carly. His wife was killed a few years ago. A homeless vet confessed to the murder, but recanted his confession in his suicide note. Now there are other women being killed in a similar fashion.

Soon after arriving in La Jolla, Sonny rescues Carly from drowning in a riptide, giving her a way into Ben's house. While she cannot imagine Ben as a killer, she must continue to investigate him. This gets more difficult as she finds herself attracted to him.

Sorenson has written a steamy romantic suspense novel. Fans of both romance and suspense will enjoy this novel.

Sorenson, Jill. (2009). Crash into Me. New York: Bantam.

Passion and Peril

Passion and Peril by Suzanne Brockmann and Jill Sorenson contains two great stories.

Scenes of Passion by Brockmann features Maggie Stanton, a lawyer with an MBA who really wants to be an actress. She has acted since high school, but her family talked her into studying business and law. Now she works at her uncle's law firm.

When she is contacted by one of her high school friends, she is amazed at how much he has changed. Matthew Stone dated her best friend in school. They were all three in plays together in what Maggie thinks of as the best time of her life. Now Matthew has inherited his father's estate and company - if he can improve the company in one quarter. While he does not care about the money, he can't let thousands of people lose their jobs because of something he did not do. Maggie agrees to help, if he will try out of the local play.

Scenes of Peril by Jill Sorenson finds Paige Dawson at her Sierra's cabin in a blizzard. When a tree branch falls out front, she tries to move it before a driver hits it. But when she is trying to slide it out of the way, Colin Reid comes flying around the curve. To miss Paige, he swerves his car off an embankment and into an icy lake. After Paige saves him, they are snowed in for a week - which gives them time to get to know each other.

Brockmann and Sorenson are both great writers. Fans of romance already know about them, but readers who have not yet tried the genre would do well by starting with either of these authors.

Brockmann, Suzanne and Jill Sorenson. (2013). Passion and Peril. New York: HQN.

Run the Risk (Love Undercover #1)

Run the Risk by Lori Foster is the first book in her new series - Love Undercover.

Logan Riske is undercover as Logan Stark. He is tracking the sister of a witness to the murder of a police commissioner. If he can find the brother he can finally take down a dirty club owner who has a knack for getting away with crime after crime.

Sue Meeks is really Pepper Yates. She is in hiding. The only person she has contact with is her brother - but he only calls her and at random times. She knows that he is trying to keep her safe but she is going a bit stir crazy. And her neighbor, Logan, won't leave her alone. Her instincts say he is a good guy, but she cannot take the chance that she is wrong.

Foster's new series features good guys who will stop at nothing to bring criminals to justice. Fans will not be disappointed in this new series.

Foster, Lori. (2012). Run the Risk. New York: HQN.

Against the Sun (Raines of Wind Canyon #6)

Against the Sun by Kat Martin is the sixth book in her Raines of Wind Canyon series which started out about brothers who grew up on a ranch in Wind Canyon, Wyoming but has spread to friends of the brothers as the popularity of the series has begged more stories.

Jake Cantrell is ex-special forces now working in personal security. His latest assignment is at Marine Drilling International - an oil company - where he is to meet with a S.E. Dumont about being a body guard while the company negotiates with a Saudi family to make a deal on some drilling equipment.

Sage Dumont is Vice President of Acquisitions and could be promoted if she can secure a deal with the Saudis for a used drilling platform and save the company millions of dollars. Though her grandfather owns the company she has worked her way up from an entry-level position and is not guaranteed the promotion even with the deal.

If Jake had known S.E. was a woman he may have turned down the job. Now he is in charge of security for a woman who is not used to following orders and who does not believe she even needs a bodyguard. While Jake is a professional and will do anything in his power to protect his client this will be the most difficult job he has ever had - protecting Sage, being around her 24 hours a day and keeping his hands to himself.

Martin is a romance writer who creates compelling stories around great characters. If she listens to fans - she will keep turning out book in this series until everyone the Raines brothers ever met has their own book.

Martin, Kat. (2012). Against the Sun. New York: Mira.

Against the Night (Raines of Wind Canyon #5)

Against the Night by Kat Martin is the fifth book in her Raines of Wind Canyon series.

Amy is looking for her sister who has been missing for a while. She moved from the midWest to California and got a job at the place her sister worked to start searching for her. She now goes by Angel and is an exotic dancer - a far cry from her regular job as a kindergarten teacher.

Johnnie Riggs is an ex-Army Ranger who is looking for a drug dealer. He is at the club looking for the scumbag's girlfriend. But his eyes keep drifting to Angel. Then he finds out the girlfriend is her sister and that she is missing.

Amy and Johnnie will have to work together to solve the disappearance of Amy's sister and capture the guy who may be responsible - while fighting an attraction between them.

Martin, Kat. (2012). Against the Night. New York: Mira.

Vortex (Cutter Cay #3)

Vortex by Cherry Adair is the third book in her Cutter Cay series about three brothers who search for sunken ships and their treasures.

Logan Cutter is on the trail of a ship that was carrying millions of dollars' worth of emeralds. He has done his research and is sure he is close to finding it off of the coast of Peru. If he is successful, it will be the largest prize any of the brothers have found.

But what Logan pulls out of the water is a woman. Not a mermaid, but a woman who was thrown overboard by pirates - who happen to be her cousins. Dani Rosado's family has known about the ship since it sunk. Their great, great, great ancestor created a map of where the treasure wrecked - carved out of an emerald bowl. But Cutter is going after the wrong ship - the main ship was a decoy and the treasure was on the smaller ship, the Daniela.

Now Dani must get Logan to move 500 miles to the South of where he is searching, keep her cousins from stealing the treasure from him when he finds it, and keep herself from falling for him.

Adair's Cutter Cay series is a must read for fans of romantic suspense, or fans of sea stories. Romance or no, I totally want to live on a boat where I can just swim around all day and have a chef prepare my meals!

Adair, Cherry. (2012). Vortex. New York: St. Martin's Paperbacks.

A Perfect Storm (Edge of Honor #4)

A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster is the fourth book in her Edge of Honor series about a group of mercenaries who life goal is to stop human trafficking.

Dare McIntire, Trace Rivers and Jackson Savor work together to try and stop the flow of human kidnap victims from their part of the country. Each of them has a reason be so focused on the topic. And Arizona Storm, who was rescued by Savor, wants to help but knows the guys would not let her. So she doesn't tell them.

Arizona repeatedly puts herself in danger to stop the bad guys - but is she a match for the ring of kidnappers she is now baiting? She may need help on this one and she knows one guy who might help her without treating her like a kid.

Spencer Lark is a bounty hunter. He met Arizona when he was tracking a human trafficker who skipped bail. They had a bit of a clash as they could not both get the bad guy - but although Spencer hates that Arizona puts herself in danger, he would do anything to protect her - including letting her be the bait.

Foster's Edge of Honor series is great romantic suspense with an eye opening amount of information on the real human trafficking that is taking place in the United States. At times the information can be overwhelming and detract from the story - but only momentarily because her characters are compelling and likable and her plots are steamy.

Foster, Lori. (2012). A Perfect Storm. New York: HQN.

One Week as Lovers

One Week as Lovers by Victoria Dahl continues the story of Viscount Lancaster who was introduced in A Rake's Guide to Pleasure of the Huntington series.

Nicholas Cantry is Viscount Lancaster - who inherited a title with a lot of debt. He must marry a woman with a large income if his family is to keep living within their class. Now Lancaster is engaged to a woman he does not love. On the same evening that he finds her in the arms of another man, he gets a letter saying that an old friend has died. Nick decides to visit Cantry House, the home the he grew up in located in Yorkshire, and pay his respects.

Cynthia Merrithorpe technically grew up in the manor down the road from Cantry House. But, in fact, she spent most of her time with her best friend Nick - until he inherited and moved to London. When her family's debt go bad enough, her step-father offered her in marriage to pay that debt. However, the man she was to be married to was a cruel man and Cynthia decided to jump off of the cliff instead. The housekeeper of Cantry House saw her jump.

What she did not see was that Cynthia landed on a ledge a few feet below. She has no desire to die. And she is in possession of her uncle's journal that says he hid treasure in one of the caves along the cliffs. With Cantry's housekeeper as her only confidant, Cynthia is living in the hidden passages and the attack of Cantry House and searching the cliffs for treasure that can buy her freedom (and that of her younger sister as well).

When Nick arrives home - partly as an excuse to flee London and the marriage he needs but does not want - and partly to remember his childhood friend, he interferes with Cynthia's plans. And her attempts to break into his room at night and scare him off do not go exactly as intended.

Victoria Dahl has quickly become my favorite romance writer. She can craft a great story with compelling, likable characters and her romance could thaw glaciers. If you are not a romance reader due to the horrible stereotypes of the genre, pick up a Dahl novel and prepare to have your mind changed. Her contemporary novels and her historical novels (in spite of the titles) are equally wonderful.

Dahl, Victoria. (2009). One Week as Lovers. New York: Zebra.

Against the Storm (Raines of Wind Canyon #4)

Against the Storm by Kat Martin is her fourth book in the Raines of Wind Canyon series, which has now extended beyond the Raines brothers into stories of their close friends.

Maggie O'Connell is a successful photographer living in Houston, Texas. She has a big art show coming up and is working on her first coffee table book. But lately she has been getting threatening notes left on her car. When she stumbles across Trace Rawlins, a security specialist and former Army Ranger, she decides to hire him.

Trace is a professional but does not really want to work with Maggie at first. He has a bad history when it comes to redheads. But someone is obviously after Maggie and she needs his help. Even with someone after her, Maggie needs to work. But it seems that her stalker can find her whether she is in Houston or on the Gulf. He is either really good at blending in, because she has been watching for familiar faces, or he has some other way of following her.

The more Trace investigates, the more sophisticated the stalker seems. He will have to do his best work to keep Maggie safe while trying not to fall in love with her.

Martin writes great suspense novels with a romantic twist. This series is a good choice for fans of romantic suspense who need something to read next.

Martin, Kat. (2011). Against the Storm. New York: Mira.

Against the Law (Raines of Wild Canyon #3)

Against the Law by Kat Martin is the third book in her Raines of Wild Canyon series.

Devlin Raines is semi-retired from Raines Investigations. He only gets involved if the investigation is really interesting or he gets bored. But when a friend he was an Army Ranger with sends him a beautiful client he decides to help.

Lark Delaney promised her dying sister that she would find the baby her sister gave up for adoption. She is to make sure that the girl is well cared for by her adopted family. All she has to go on is the name of an adoption agency in Phoenix - one that no longer exists.

As Dev and Lark investigate, they find that the agency was not licensed in Arizona. That fact alone makes the adoption illegal, but Lark only wants to check on the child, not take her home. But when they find the adoptive parents all is not well.

Martin has written a fast-paced romantic adventure involving everything from hunky ex-soldiers and cowboys to drug cartels to kidnapping and murder. This is a great read.

Martin, Kat. (2011). Against the Law. New York: Mira.

Against the Fire (Raines of Wild Canyon #2)

Against the Fire by Kat Martin is the second book in her Raines of Wind Canyon series. The three Raines brothers grew up in Wind Canyon, Wyoming. The oldest brother, Jackson, lives there again. Gabriel lives in Dallas. And Devlin lives in Arizona.

Gabe is a real estate developer. He started out buying houses and fixing them up to sell. Now he has his own construction company and is working on multiple projects in Dallas. A fire at one of his projects brings him downtown in the middle of the night.

The police suspect a teen who is in the crowd. After Gabe picks him out of a line up, he is visited by Mattie Baker - an architect who volunteers her time to help families recovering from violence. Mattie is convinced that Angel Ramirez is innocent.When the second fire is started it begins to look like someone is after Gabriel Raines.

Martin has written a fast-paced suspense that will keep readers on their toes. Between the flames and the attraction between the main characters, readers will stay up all night finishing the book.

Martin, Kat. (2011). Against the Fire. New York: Mira.

Against the Wind (Raines of Wind Canyon #1)

Against the Wind by Kat Martin is the first book in her Raines of Wind Canyon series.

Sarah Allen and her daughter Holly are moving back to the town Sarah grew up in - Wind Canyon, Wyoming. They have been living in Los Angeles. After the murder of Sarah's husband she needs a change. Though she has no ties left in Wind Canyon, she loved the town growing up.

Jackson Raines moved back to Wind Canyon a few years ago. After high school and an attempt at wrestling in the Olympics, he is ready to become a rancher. When he moved home he bought Raintree Ranch.

Sarah has rented a cabin on the Raintree Ranch. And for the first time she will be using her degree in journalism to work at the local newspaper. Sarah is ready to start her life over. Unfortunately, her late husband's shady business dealings have men coming after Sarah to find some information they are sure Sarah has inherited. Jackson will have to step in to save Sarah and Holly from a dangerous situation.

Martin's book captures the feel of living in the wide open country of Wyoming. Her characters are well-developed and compelling. This first book is a promising hint of what is to come with the rest of the Raines of Wind Canyon series.

Martin, Kat. (2011). Against the Wind. New York: Mira.