Review: Shiver of Fear

Shiver of Fear
Roxanne St. Claire
Romantic Suspense
Guardian Angelinos/Book 2
Forever/April 1, 2011

*Possible Spoilers for 1st Book

From Goodreads ~

The legacy that haunts her . . .

The mystery she must solve . . .

A man who threatens to reveal her secrets . . .

and break her heart.

Burned by a failed marriage, former FBI agent Marc Rossi wants back in the investigation game with no emotional strings attached. Taking an assignment for his enterprising Angelino cousins, he heads to Northern Ireland to pry a key piece of evidence from a missing socialite-any way he can. But when the ice queen turns out to be warm, beautiful, and on a secret mission of her own, the job becomes a passionate reminder of what happens when duty and desire mix. The daughter of an infamous fugitive, Devyn Sterling has survived betrayal only to find that her mother has mysteriously disappeared. When her search uncovers secrets, lies, and threats, Devyn and Marc must trust each other when every instinct says they can't . . . and a terrorist wants to make sure they won't live to try.

After reading and enjoying the first book in this series, Edge of Sight, I was looking forward to reading about Marc Rossi, cousin the the Angelino twins, Zach and Vivi. I liked the whole family feel the series takes on and we learned just enough about Marc in Edge of Sight to make me want to know more. Marc heroine was also in book one as a minor character and little was known about her.

Devyn Sterling is not a heroic type of woman. She's accustomed to the good life of fine living. Her world is turned around when her husband is killed and she learns her true parentage. She sets out to find her biological mother and get more information about her infamous biological father. Devyn's background doesn't equip her for the intrigue and danger she finds in Ireland. She pulls a few TSTL moves and I really had to wonder about her survival instincts. Thankfully she pulls it together and she's lucky Marc Rossi is one of the good guys since she joined up with him without knowing anything about him. Apparently she forgot you're not suppose to get into a car with a stranger!

Marc Rossi is not much for heroics. He prefers to let others take the limelight. His first assignment for the newly formed Guardian Angelinos sounds right up his alley. Marc's patience is put to the test when he has to deal with Devyn Sterling and her stubbornness. I thought Marc showed real restraint when dealing with Devyn. They have a strong attraction going but it took a while for me to feel like these two could make a couple.

The romantic suspense keeps Marc and Devyn on the run and searching for answers that just lead to more questions. The traveling in Ireland was a nice change of pace. Often, readers only read about Ireland in historicals. I liked the whole feel of the modern Ireland with all it's beauty and it's darker side. The mystery of who, what and WTF was well done. I liked that things were not always what they seemed - it keep Devyn and Marc on their toes. I would go so far to say that the suspense kept me engaged far more than the romance.

I think one of the best things about this series so far is the sense of family and loyalty. The way they support each other, even when they don't agree, gives the reader something to relate to and cheer on. I only wish I hadn't found some of the heroine's actions questionable. For me, that was the weakest point in the story. She didn't irritate the crap out of me but she didn't exactly endear herself to me either. In the end, it was the suspense and the hero that I enjoyed the most.

Rating: B

Books in this series ~

Edge of Sight
Shiver of Fear
Face of Danger