Veena’s review of The Thing About Love by Julie James
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 18 Apr 17
I’m an unabashed fan. I enjoy these fun and flirty romances with an element of suspense and danger that Ms. James dishes up so effortlessly.
Divorced Jessica comes home to Chicago to lick her wounds and get a fresh start at the Chicago FBI field office. Right off the bat she meets up with John Shepard, her nemesis from Quantico, who’s based out of the Chicago field office. Fortunately for the readers, they get to hear the Quantico story from each of them individually and, of course, it’s the proverbial chalk and cheese that will keep you engaged and amused at how differently each saw the same situation.
John came to the FBI from the Army Rangers and all he’s ever wanted to do is join the FBI hostage rescue team. While he’s waiting for the results of his interview from the HRT, he’s assigned to work with Jessica on what is believed to be a quick undercover sting operation for another field office. After so many years apart, they get to see each other in a totally different light from what they remember. Lo and behold, they actually like each other and, boy, do they have chemistry.
I enjoyed the witty conversation not just between the two protagonists but also their family members, as each one goes through the sharing that is typical in close-knit families, especially since Jessica’s brother and sister are waging a sibling rivalry around getting her set up in a relationship. Of course, since life really isn’t all about fun and laughter, we do get to see the rainy side as we get glimpses into both Jessica’s and John’s past relationships.
All in all, a fun read with a bit of an edge.
Grade: B
Summary:
The New York Times bestselling author of Suddenly One Summer blows the covers of two FBI agents who can’t hide who they are from each other…
FBI agents Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd have a past. The former lawyer and cocky Army Ranger clashed during their training at Quantico and gladly went their separate ways after graduating from the Academy. Six years later, the last thing either of them expects is to be assigned to work as partners in a high-profile undercover sting.
For both of them, being paired with an old rival couldn’t come at a worse time. Recently divorced from a Hollywood producer and looking for a fresh start, Jessica is eager to prove herself at her new field office. And John is just one case away from his dream assignment to the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team. In order to nail a corrupt Florida politician, they’ll have to find a way to work together—a task that becomes even trickier when they’re forced to hole up at a romantic beachfront resort as part of the investigation. Suddenly, the heat behind their nonstop sparring threatens to make the job a lot more complicated…
