Review: Take No Prisoners

Take No Prisoners
Cindy Gerard
Romantic Suspense
Black Ops/Book 2
Pocket/October 21,2008

A Dangerous Attraction...

Abbie Hughes no longer trusts men, but despite her cool indifference, her long legs and showgirl face still draw plenty of attention. Between working as a blackjack dealer, going to school, and keeping an eye on her younger brother, Cory, there's no time for romantic adventures -- until the night a sexy, mysterious stranger places a wager at her table.

Spurred by revenge...

Sam Lang left Black Ops, Inc. when tragedy struck his family. Although he's determined to retire his M-16 rifle to lead a quiet life on his ranch, a vengeful quest will send him on a manhunt for the ruthless multimillionaire who murdered his sister.

Reveals a savage threat they can't ignore...

Though Sam suspects Abbie is in on a lucrative gem-smuggling deal her brother made with the enemy, their attraction is undeniable. Now Cory is missing, and together they search the wild Honduras back country to find him. With danger on their trail, they must trust each other completely or face certain death alone....

This time Ms. Gerard takes us into the criminal world of Honduras. It's the darker, more brutal side with Sam gunning for revenge and Abbie trying desperately to save her brother. The landscape didn't make a huge impression on me, but worked more as a backdrop for the action.

Sam Lang is pulled back into the action when information on a previous target leads him to Abbie Hughes. He's playing a role, trying to get information from her but ends up falling for the beautiful Vegas dealer. Abbie falls too and it all leads to hurt and mistrust. Then they find themselves forced to work together for a common goal. So not only do they have their issues to get past, they're also thrown into extremely dangerous situations.

Abbie Hughes has no choice but to go to Honduras and find her brother. It kind of reminded me of Romancing the Stone in that Abbie is out of her element and must rely on her wits and Sam to get her out of trouble. Abbie may not be trained in combat but she uses her brain and doesn't let the guys push her around.

There is a lot of action in this series and Sam and Abbie's story is no exception. This time around I found the action is what I liked best. It's fast paced and kept me glued to the page. The romance didn't work as well for me. I liked Sam and Abbie but it felt like a lack emotional connection between the two. The sexual chemistry was off the wall but emotionally it didn't feel like they were in sync.

Overall, a solid romantic suspense with the action taking the better part of the spotlight. There are a number of Black Ops, Inc. men just waiting for their HEA and I know I'll be right there when they find it!

Rating: B

Black Ops Series ~

Show No Mercy
Take No Prisoners
Whisper No Lies
Feel the Heat
Risk No Secrets
Leave No Trace (novella in Deadly Promise anthology)
With No Remorse
Last Man Standing