Laura C’s review of Sweet Reward (Last Chance Rescue, Book 9) by Christy Reece
Romantic Suspense published by Ballantine 27 Dec 11
I’ve enjoyed the vast majority of the Last Chance Rescue books, and I will be sorry to see them go if, indeed, this is to be the last one Reece writes. On the other hand, I look forward to whatever she does next, as she’s created many a character I’ve been happy to spend time with. Jared and Mia are no exceptions.
Jared is everyone’s favorite kind of hero: damaged but strong, haunted and unable to get on with his life until he meets Mia. Jared works for Last Chance Rescue, so it’s no surprise that when his ex-wife’s child is kidnapped, she calls him. But Mia—the only operative ever to have been asked to leave LCR—is also on the trail of the same baby thieves, though from another angle. Noah, the head of LCR, insists on them working together, though Jared at first mistrusts Mia’s capabilities. After all, she looks young and soft.
That youth and softness are incredibly attractive to Jared, despite his doubts. And Mia feels the same way; Jared’s dedication to the cause they share appeals to her as much as his body does. She understands why he doesn’t trust her at first. In fact, I’d say one of the biggest weaknesses in this book for me is that Mia seems to do all the understanding. Jared doesn’t really change.
The suspense side of the story is (no big surprise here) a rescue operation. But it becomes clear relatively quickly that one of the “big bads” is an old friend of Mia’s family, and she has the only in. Jared doesn’t want her to date a guy they think is a psychopath, needless to say, which causes no little tension between them, but in the end he has to let her take the more active role in the operation. That was a fun turnabout from many romantic suspense novels where the alpha male is the active party most of the time.
The brutality scenes are..well..brutal. And the big bad is definitely a psychopath, but I didn’t find my tension raised particularly high by this book overall. I wish I could pinpoint the reason. Maybe because right up until the end, I didn’t feel as if anyone, even the kidnapped baby, was in particular danger. People die, but they’re people I’ve barely had a chance to meet.
Still, despite my quibbles, this is a fun read. It didn’t take me long and I’m sorry to see it end. Definitely worth reading, even if it’s not as good as some of the others in the series.
Grade: B
Summary:
Adrenaline junkie Jared Livingston has found the perfect blend of exhilaration and danger in his new job at Last Chance Rescue. Raised to depend only on himself, Jared tried marriage, but the end of the relationship renewed his belief that he was meant to be a loner. Now a desperate plea from his ex-wife puts Jared in the unique position of using the skills she despised to rescue her missing daughter. The case brings Jared face-to-face with Mia Ryker, the only agent ever fired from LCR—for playing too far outside the box. Now Mia’s back, and as a team, they’re as compatible as fuel and fire—blowing off tension in each other’s arms, blowing open the secret life of a wealthy philanthropist and his shameful dealings. Their search for the innocent child takes them to places neither have been before—to the edge of danger and to the edge of their hearts.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
