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Book description:
It’s love that keeps teacher Jordan Bliss up at night…the lost love for a Venezuelan orphan named Miguel—and the memory of a Navy SEAL tearing him from her arms. Now in the U.S. and longing for her child, Jordan vows to somehow, some way, bring Miguel home.
To Navy SEAL Solomon McGuire, orders are orders. But the fierce passion in Jordan ‘s voice and the fire in her eyes when he separated her from her son haunt his dreams. Eager to make amends, Solomon promises to pull every string he can to find Miguel. Only time will tell if Jordan can trust him and forgive him. One thing is certain: his desire for her is relentless and irresistible. And soon their indestructible love will be tested by a terrifying trap of violence…
There was a lot going on in this book. A lot. I think that there were too many people and story lines to actually do justice to some great characters.
Jordan Bliss is in Venezuela to adopt the son that she’s fought so hard for. When guerrillas attack the town she’s in, rescue comes in the form of a team of Navy SEALs. Literally tearing her son from her arms, Jordan is forced into a helicopter that will take her back to the States. Frantic and hysterical, she tries to fight to get to Miguel when she is injected with a sedative.
Let me just say: wow. That scene was so intense. As a mom, I really thought Melton did a fantastic job of writing what happens when you take a child away from his/her mother. I had tears in my eyes as I was reading it.
So anyway, now Jordan is headed for home against her will. She holds Navy SEAL Solomon McGuire personally responsible as he was the one that took Miguel from her arms thus refusing to let her bring her son home. What she doesn’t know that after she parts ways with Solomon, he is haunted by thoughts of Jordan and Miguel. Fighting his own demons, Solomon understands Jordan better than she thinks. Five years ago, his then-wife kidnapped his son and ran while he was on a mission. Though he’s hired countless Private Investigators, he has been unable to find his son, Silas.
A stroke of fate brings Silas back to Solomon when his wife’s step-sister calls him. Finding out his wife is dead is not what turns Solomon’s world upside down. It’s being told that Silas is safe and Solomon should come get him as soon as possible. Though he wants to feel anger for Silas’ aunt, he finds that all he can be is grateful to everything Elise has done for Silas.
It’s only when he gets Silas home that he sees that things aren’t going to be as easy as he originally hoped. It’s then that Solomon comes up with what he thinks is one of his best ideas yet. *snort* He’ll call Jordan, whom he still hasn’t been able to forget. As a teacher, Solomon thinks that Jordan will be able to help Silas get to grade level before school starts in the fall. He also hopes that it will help her cope with her loss of Miguel. What he doesn’t tell her at first is that he’s already started making plans to get Miguel out of Venezuela.
There’s already a lot going on here, right? There’s Miguel and the fact that Jordan is planning to go back to Venezuela, Solomon is planning on having him brought back, Jordan is teaching Silas, Silas and Solomon are trying to get to know each other, and there is romance brewing between Jordan and Solomon.
In addition to all that, there’s the secondary story of Jillian, Jordan’s sister. Jillian is a widow who is 9 months pregnant with her late husband’s child. She’s also trying to get a business off the ground that will help disabled veterans. Bring in the FBI Agent whose family was killed by the mob years ago. There’s another romance. On top of that, there’s Elise, Silas’ aunt. It seemed like Melton couldn’t decide whether or not to tell Elise’s story in this book. It was like she started to, but then changed her mind.
While I really enjoyed this book and even enjoyed the secondary story lines (is there a thirdary??), it was just too much crammed into 350 pages. That doesn’t mean that I don’t recommend this book or this author, because I do.
4 out of 5.
This book is available from Grand Central Publishing. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
Hmm, I’m on the fence about this one. I kind of want to read it, but then I kind of don’t want to get frustrated by all the characters/plots/sub-plots. *sigh*
Good review.
Hmmm, the blurb instantly reminded me of one of Cindy Gerard’s Bodyguard books – Under The Wire. Reading your review though, it looks like there is a LOT more going on in Marliss’ book – different variation, more stuff. But if you’re going with 4 out of 5 I’ll probably add it to my TBR list. Thanks!
I’ve enjoyed all of Marliss Melton’s books. She does pack a lot into each book but it all seems to mesh together. Thanks for the review.