Reviewer: Judith Compromised by Emmy Curtis
Series: Alpha Ops #5
Also in this series: Dangerous Territory, Over the Line, Pushing the Limit, Pushing the Limit, Over the Line
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: March 1st 2016
Pages: 240
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It was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. But when her wedding erupts in gunfire, Sadie Walker realizes this is not the life she wants-her fiancé's work with Delta Force will always cast a shadow over their relationship. After leaving the hard-muscled hero at the altar, she thinks she'll never see him again . . . until a chance encounter reveals that he still has a strong grip on her heart.
On a covert assignment overseas, Simon Tennant is shocked when he spots Sadie with another man. Jealousy flares, as does an irresistible urge to keep her protected. Amid a dangerous game of international espionage, he'll have to convince Sadie just how perfect they've always been together. This time, nothing will take precedence over winning her back, no matter the cost to his cover-or his life . . . More in the Alpha Ops series:DANGEROUS TERRITORY (novella)OVER THE LINEPUSHING THE LIMITBLOWBACK
Simon and Sadie’s wedding ended up not happening. Even though Sadie knew that Simon was in some sort of intelligence agency and frequently their planned activities were disrupted or set aside because of his obligations, the year they had dated and fallen in love was enough to convince Sadie to marry her Black Ops soldier. Now she is finished with him, or so she thinks, even as she has moved on to become a CIA agent posted at the office in Athens. She is a “rookie” and thus she wants very much to prove to her dad that she can do the work of an operative and do it with distinction. She believes her relationship with Simon is over and that he is permanently out of her life until she sees him in Athens. It doesn’t help that Simon sees Sadie “working” a mark for a project that requires her to flirt and romance a guy that is somehow attached to the Russian Mafia. Finding out just what the nature of that attachment may be is Sadie’s assignment. Simon could well and truly upend all her efforts. On the other hand, Simon is struggling to understand what Sadie is doing, first in Athens, and then with this guy. He has no idea that she is not with the CIA and thus must somehow figure this out all on his own while working out his own undercover scheme.
Of all the novels in this series, I think this one is the most convoluted. It is far from simple and understanding how Sadie is thinking and perceiving Simon, and then reading how Simon is thinking and how he is perceiving Sadie is sometimes confusing and difficult to keep straight. There are peripheral characters that are helpful sometimes and sometimes they just seem to add to the confusion. This is also the latest in the series so there are mentions of other characters who have been featured in previous books. I found this book was a bit more work to read than the others and much more complicated that many romance novels I have read. That’s not to say that isn’t good. A tough and complicated read is good stuff from time to time. It’s one of the reasons I find myself picking up a good mystery or a intriguing spy novel. Too much sugar, too much easy romance gets to me after a while.
I think this entire series is super and this latest book is a good addition. I particularly was fascinated to follow Sadie’s anger at Simon, believing that he hadn’t really loved her but had instead used her as a “mark.” How these two resolve their upsets and manage to find ways to heal their wounds is very much a part of this story. I also think that this story tells about Sadie’s journey of maturing into a woman who is comfortable in her skin, who is moving even further away from the machinations of her parents, her father in particular, and who is coming into her own as a confident and competent adult. There is no doubt that the ups and downs, the unexpected crises that ensnare Sadie force her to use her mind, her wits, her learning and training, and her considerable ability to ferret out the truth-teller from the con artist.
I really enjoyed this book because it was a more complicated book. Some reviewers seem to be turned off by the twisted and snarled nature of the action but that was a positive for me. I hope you will get this novel, especially if you are a lover of suspense and romance and spy stuff all mixed up into a glorious literary mess. You’ll find that here. I give this book a 4 out of 5 rating.
You can read more from Judith at http://www.drjsbookplace.blogspot.com.
Over the Line
Pushing the Limit
Blowback
Compromised
Risk of Exposure