Reviewer: Judith
Over the Line by Emmy Curtis
Series: Alpha Ops #2
Also in this series: Dangerous Territory, Over the Line, Pushing the Limit, Compromised, Pushing the Limit
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: October 7th 2014
Genres: Suspense
Pages: 300
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books

Series Rating:

Army Special Forces Sergeant Beth Garcia owes James Walker big-time for saving her life in Afghanistan. So the least she can do is agree to be his rock-climbing partner. After a year of physical therapy, she's finally eligible for deployment again, and what better way to celebrate than a weekend with a sexy Air Force hero? She's prepared to kick his ass at climbing-until James reveals what he really has in mind . . .

Pretending to be engaged wasn't the most brilliant idea James ever had. Neither was dragging Beth to his sister's wedding. The competitive tomboy is a far cry from the type of woman his family usually pushes on him. Yet Beth is more exciting than anyone he's ever met, and James has a feeling that if he can get her in bed, she'll blow his mind. They're just supposed to be acting-but as the wedding weekend wears on, Beth and James have a fighting chance at something real and much more lasting . . .

(75,000 words)
More Alpha Ops books: Dangerous Territory (novella), Pushing the Limit, Blowback, Compromised, Risk of Exposure.

This is the second novel in a series that has taken quite a number of months to appear.  I just recently obtained this book through a discount reading service and was fascinated with the dynamics of this family and these characters.  It seems that the characters of this story are intertwined with others who are involved in the intelligence community and its various agencies.  In fact, the heroine’s dad is the director of the CIA and while he seems to have his head in the intelligence game, his need to keep his political relationships front and center drive the dynamics of the family.  The two main characters meet in the Middle East and their lives seem glued together over those shared experiences.  James doesn’t want to admit that he was already emotionally ensnared by Beth even before they met once again Stateside after her lengthy rehabilitation.

Beth loves her job and is planning one more deployment in order for her to meet the requirements of an applicant to the CIA.  She really is attracted to James but knows that anything between them must be temporary as she is not prepared to set aside her goals.  James is busy hiding his real job as an Air Force officer from a father who has never stopped being disappointed that his son hasn’t ever wanted to go into the family “business” of being spies.  Now James is faced with deciding if he will attend his sister’s wedding, knowing it will be a political happening rather than a family celebration.  He also knows that his parents are still manipulating him in order to get him back with his ex, a widow who has been grieving the death of her husband for seven years.  So much of the action of this story is set at the family mansion in McLean, Virginia, and the dynamics of a very dysfunctional family surrounded by friends and not-so-friendly non-friends is a rich brew of ups and downs that make this novel fascinating and complicated.

I don’t remember reading an Emmy Curtis novel before this one, but I have to admit that I moved right out of this one into the next.  The characters were so well crafted, the action sharp and often unexpected, the growing love relationship between James and Beth a roller coaster of on-again-off-again emotions and misunderstandings.  Add in the fact there is mischief afoot which could potentially mean severe hurt for some of James’ family and you have a marvelous “stew” of ingredients that make this a novel well worth reading.  This book was released over a year ago, but the story is fresh and contemporary and the entire series is riveting.  Do yourself a favor and get this book.  I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

You can read more from Judith at http://www.drjsbookplace.blogspot.com.

Reading Order:Dangerous Territory
Over the Line
Pushing the Limit
Blowback
Compromised
Risk of Exposure

Reviewer: Judith
Pushing the Limit by Emmy Curtis
Series: Alpha Ops #3
Also in this series: Dangerous Territory, Over the Line, Pushing the Limit, Compromised, Over the Line
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: November 4th 2014
Genres: Suspense
Pages: 300
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books

Series Rating:

After their one-night fling at a wedding, archaeologist Henrietta "Harry" Markowitz thought she'd never see war hero Matt Stanning again. So when they're paired up to investigate a military plane crash in Iraq, she's not sure if the three-month reunion is serendipitous or cursed. What she does know is this gorgeous man lights her body on fire-and incredible sex is always a welcome distraction.

Air Force Sergeant Matt Stanning has been called a hero, but he feels nothing like one when he realizes the sexy blonde in his bed is the widow of his fallen brother-in-arms. Even worse, he actually has to work with her, and she's unearthed evidence that points to a military conspiracy. If they dig deeper, they'll put their lives in danger. If they don't, they'll never know the truth-not only about the mysterious plane crash, but about each other.

More in the Alpha Ops series: Dangerous Territory (novella) Over the Line Compromised Risk of Exposure

After reading the preceding novel in this series, I felt compelled to get the next book and I am so glad I did.  Even though the action at the family wedding wasn’t continued in this story, the characters certainly are.  Add in the fact that Matt discovers an unexpected connection with Henrietta, an archaeologist he met at James Walker’s sister’s wedding, a woman who certainly piqued his interest and with whom he shared a night of passion, and one who is finally open to moving on from the grief over her husband’s death in the Middle East eight years earlier.  Harry, as Henrietta is fondly known by her friends, is an investigative scientist working for a foundation at various sites around the world.  She loves her work and especially loves being back in Iraq where she has friends and associates of somewhat long standing.  However, the discovery of a strange artifact which isn’t at all antique, spurs the appearance of studly Matt Stanning, the man who took her on a passionate erotic journey three months earlier.

All of the books in this series are filled with intrique that is characteristic of the intelligence community, and this particular novel features some of the action that continues in the Middle East.  There are still after effects of the Iraqi conflict and Harry becomes aware that this simple artifact may be important to discovering why the tension around her dig has escalated.  In addition, Harry becomes aware that quite possibly the foundation she is working for may be something other than what she has been led to believe so that the suspicions of Matt curiously coincide with hers and others of her colleagues.  Things just keep on getting curiouser and curiouser and Harry begins to wonder if it is only her reputation she must guard.  Perhaps her very life is on the line.

Lots of action in this book and it is interwoven with a love story that is unexpectedly influenced by recent history.  And as is so often the case in stories of this genre, who to trust is possibly the most serious question.  I know that as I was reading I kept looking for indications that might give me clues about who was trustworthy and who was the perpetrator of evil.  It is that mysterious component that keeps me glued to stories of this kind.  Makes my brain work and that’s a wonderful part of reading for me.

This is another beautifully written book, a story well told, a good balance between love and war, good and evil, friends and those who will eventually turn out to be not so friendly.  It was released late in 2014 but like all good books, its worth as good fiction has not been at all diminished.  This entire series is fabulous and I highly recommend this as such a good read.  I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

You can read more from Judith at http://www.drjsbookplace.blogspot.com.

Reading Order:Dangerous Territory
Over the Line
Pushing the Limit
Blowback
Compromised
Risk of Exposure