I have always enjoyed this author's writing. I couldn't wait to read this book but forgot to post my review. This is actually book 2 in the Fire series. I have recently completed this trilogy and enjoyed all three books. Highly recommended!

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Pro-bono lawyer Jenny Parker is the only true innocent in her family. The daughter of a New Orleans crime lord, she’s tried for years to make her own way, but family ties always have a way of pulling her back in line. When her younger brother gets involved in human trafficking, Jenny wants to believe him innocent and tries to protect him, even though it means covering for his crimes.
Matthew Ryder knows Jenny is hiding something, and he couldn’t care less about her motives. As a member of the Committee, a covert anticrime agency, he’s dealt with the worst the world has to offer. To him, Jenny is just another criminal. But when she asks for help, things turn dangerous quickly, and though he can’t trust her, he can’t turn her away.
Now, Jenny and Ryder must head to South America to stop the trafficking ring. To find the truth, they’ll have to survive untamed jungles, hostile rebels, crushing betrayals, and—perhaps most dangerous—the fire of their undeniable attraction.

*2.5 stars*

Romantic suspense novels have become quite the fashion for the last decade or so...and one of the more prolific in this genre is Anne Stuart. I read the first one in this series (this is Book 2) and, while it didn't set the world on fire, it was a good enough story for what it was. This one, however, wasn't even that good.

And it is odd, because I get the impression that her work is usually very good. In fact, I did read a few of the "Ice" series and found them to be quite enjoyable. I am not sure what reasons are behind this book...but it certainly could have been better.

The two things that I found so disappointing in this book:

1) Jenny was an annoying MC - her internal dialogue was annoying (to say the least) but not as annoying as the stupid stuff she did throughout the book, waiting for someone to rescue her. Just wanted to give up on her completely...

2) The constant barrage of insults and dismissive comments between Ryder and Jenny was embarrasing. Seriously, if they disliked each other so much, they would have just separated and gone on with their lives...lucky the sex was great, I guess.

And that about sums it up - poor characters who have great sex.


Paul
ARH

Stuart is the queen of edgy romantic suspense, and this was a good one by her! Main characters Jenny and Matthew were great, and I love the way this series ties into the Ice one. A suspenseful storyline kept my attention, and I enjoyed the fast pace and all the action. The balance of romance and suspense was good, and as usual for the author, there was scorching hot chemistry between the main characters! I am looking forward to more in this series!