Sandy M’s review of A Kiss to Kill (Passion for Danger, Book 3) by Nina Bruhns
Romantic Suspense published by Berkley 6 Apr 10
Just what I need, another author to add to my favorites lists and another series to add to my TBB list. But I’ve already done the deed after reading A Kiss to Kill. This is my first book in Ms. Bruhns’ Passion for Danger series, and I loved every darned word of it. I want more. Now.
Gina Capozzi is finally recovered from her torturous ordeal at the hands of terrorists, and how she’s as angry as can be and is out for the blood of her former lover, rogue CIA operative Greg Van Halen. He’s the one who betrayed her, left her in the hands of those who turned her over to the bastards who nearly beat her to death after forcing her to create a deadly chemical for their twisted use.
She knows he’s out there watching her. All she needs is a chance to get close to him and she’ll let her new-found skill take care of the rest. What she doesn’t know is Greg isn’t the only one following her. She’s working with her friends and their colleagues from STORM, the highly specialized group hired to root out the terrorists, to lure Greg into the open, but she ends up in Greg’s hands before anyone else can get to her.
He’s determined to find out why he was sent out of the country so Gina’s handlers could do their dirty work that very easily could have, and probably should have, lead to her demise. Greg knows Gina blames him for the brutality she suffered, but he’s not the one who betrayed her and he’s going to make damn sure she knows it. He’s also going to have her in his bed again, no matter what.
Greg and Gina are one of the hottest couples I’ve read lately. They have a connection that can’t be broken. They know each other so intimately that once they are together again, their innate trust and love in one another has always been there, they just have to learn to hold onto it in the face of any further danger and betrayal. They are definitely tested again later in the book, and I nearly screamed when it looked like things may not work out for them.
I also like the two secondary stories we get. Alex is a STORM agent who has also been tortured by terrorists, and he’s in love with CIA agent Rebel Haywood, who has been loaned to STORM when it’s found their cases are closely related. Alex refuses to act on his feelings for Rebel for his own reasons, but she won’t put up with his nonsense for too long.
Sarah McPhee is a DC Metro police officer and she’s heading up a murder that turns out to also be related to STORM’s case, but she also has to deal with sexy CIA agent Wade Montana, who is unofficially nosing around for information. Sarah is interested in him, but when it looks like he may be illicitly involved in the whole thing, she feels she should have known better.
There’s not one thing I didn’t like about this took. It’s fast paced. It’s got an intriguing and complex story and mystery. It’s got fascinating characters on every page. It’s sexy and sensual and then some. I just ordered the first two books in the series and I can’t wait to get to them. The mailman had better watch out when he makes that delivery.
Grade: A+
Summary:
Revenge…
Eight months ago, Dr. Gina Cappozi and CIA black ops commando Captain Gregg van Halen were lovers until Gregg committed the ultimate betrayal. Left in the hands of terrorists and to do the unspeakable or die, Gina vowed to kill the man she once loved.
Danger…
She knows that Gregg lives in the shadow world of violence and darkness. She knows that he’s watching her every move. What she doesn’t know is that Gregg isn’t the only one following her–or that he still cherishes her.
Sex…
When Gina’s burning need for revenge leads her back to the one place she can easily lure Gregg–his bed–she rediscovers another, more irresistible need. Now, with the threat of enemies at every turn, Gina and Gregg realize that the power of betrayal and revenge is nothing compared to the power of love.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
You’re lucky you read this one first, because I devoured the first two and then was completely let down by this book. When you read the second one, you’ll understand. If you loved this one, wow.
She is my favorite new author because she does multiple storylines so well, there is SO MUCH going on! She spoiled me for other series for quite a while. But I was so looking forward to Gina’s book and felt it lacked something the first two had. Even so, she is hands down my favorite romantic suspense author.
I read if looks could chill, and based on that didn’t pick up #1 or #3. While I liked the writing style, I felt like she just had too many people and things running around and I didn’t feel the awesome factor i was expecting to. Perhaps I went in with too much expectation.
I’ve got to reconsider this 3rd one now though… hmmm.
I have her books TBR, I will need to check her out and see who I agree with *g*
Oh, wow, Ellie, really? I’m certainly glad then I read A Kiss to Kill first then! I agree with you on the way she handles multiple storylines. I always want previous characters in succeeding books in a series, but most authors give us very little in that way, so I was doubly thrilled with what Ms. Bruhns has done in this book. It’s nice to know she does that in the others too. I’m sorry AKtK didn’t appeal to you as much.
LOL, May, it’s all what you personally like, isn’t it? Ellie and I love exactly what you don’t like about these books. As with Ellie, maybe you’ll like one book but not another, so it might be worth giving the other two a try. I’m certainly going to!
Oh, Sybil! LOL, you know you won’t agree with me!