Review: Face of Danger

Face of Danger
Roxanne St. Claire
Romantic Suspense
Guardian Angelinos/Book 3
Grand Central/May 1, 2011

From the back cover ~

She's a risk-taker playing a deadly role...
He's a rule-follower fighting to keep her safe...
Together they're facing a killer who could be anyone, anywhere, anytime...

Private investigator Vivi Angelino has never met a risk she wouldn't take-and her latest client, a starlet with a madman on her heels, gives Vivi the perfect opportunity to walk on the wild side. That is, as long as she can make sure a certain overprotective, overly gorgeous FBI agent stays out of her way-and out of her fantasies.

Special Agent in Charge Colt Lang is not about to stand back and watch Vivi dangle herself as bait for a serial killer. Yet trying to rein her in means throwing his well-worn rulebook-and his iron self-control-to the wind . . . and taking the chance that his heart will become collateral damage in an already perilous case. Because a woman who can't stop searching for the truth is impossible to resist-even when every discovery she makes brings them closer to a calculating murderer with nothing to lose.

I'm really liking this series and not just the close family feel of it. The characters are interesting and not your typical cookie cutter romantic suspense hero and heroine. I was particularity interested in Vivi Angelino right from the start of the series. Now it's time for her story and it didn't disappoint!

Vivi Angelino isn't what comes to mind when most people think of a PI. She's has her own unique style that's a reflection of her love of skateboarding. But looks can be deceiving and Vivi is far more than the laid-back skatergirl she portrays. She's smart and sneaky and doesn't like to play by the rules. Which drives Special Agent Colton Lang crazy. Which Vivi secretly enjoys doing. Vivi also has a darker side, a secret in her past that still lays heavily on her. St. Claire does a wonderful job peeling back the layers of Vivi and showing the reader how Vivi the high school cheerleader came to be Vivi the smart tongued, relentless pursuer of justice.

Special Agent in Charge Colton Lang is a by the book, FBI agent who likes his life orderly, nothing out of place. Vivi knocks everything off kilter in Lang's world and he doesn't know what to make of it. Lang is a perfect contrast to Vivi. A past loss affects Lang's choices and makes him fight his attraction to Vivi. It's a case of opposites attract but it turns out they also work well together. They play off each other and bring out the best parts of each other. Vivi gets Lang to open up and be more relaxed. The dude was pretty uptight!

The suspense is tied up with Hollywood and serial killers. With Vivi posing as a double for a famous actress, Lang gets pulled into the action through the FBI's involvement. It's a complex plot with more than one suspect and the Angelino's adding their expertise to the mix. I love how this family pulls together, with each contributing to the job, none any more important than the other. I do hope Gabe's book is next. I'm not big on men who curse a lot but for some reason it sounds good coming from him. LOL

Even with the intricacies of the suspense plot the romance is still well developed with both Vivi and Lang facing their demons and allowing the other to help them work through it. I thought that was really important that they had developed a relationship they were both comfortable in. It not all smooth sailing and the tension does run high in both the suspense and the romance. By the end, St. Claire ties up the loose ends and lets the reader enjoy the HEA along with the hero and heroine.

Rating: A-

Books in this series ~

Edge of Sight
Shiver of Fear
Face of Danger

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

Review: Edge of Sight

Edge of Sight
Roxanne St. Claire
Romantic Suspense
Guardian Angelinos/Book 1
Grand Central/November 1, 2010

From the back cover ~

The killer she can't escape . . .
The heartbreak she can't forget . . .
The one man who can stop them both.

When Samantha Fairchild witnesses a murder in the wine cellar of the restaurant where she works, the Harvard-bound law student becomes the next target of a professional assassin. Desperate for protection the authorities won't provide, Sam seeks help from Vivi Angelino, an investigative reporter who recruits her brother, Zach, to protect Samantha. A Special Forces vet with the scars to prove he's equally fearless and flawed, Zach takes the job, despite the fact that he and Sam once shared a lusty interlude that ended when he left for war and disappeared from her life. Now, as they crack a conspiracy that leads to Boston's darkest corners, Sam and Zach must face their fears, desires, and doubts, before a hired killer gets a second shot...

Roxanne St. Claire's newest series is a spin-off of her popular Bullet Catchers series. I've read the first four books in the Bullet series and enjoyed them. Still need to catch up but I was in the mood for something new and Edge of Sight fit the bill. Edge of Sight is a stand-alone so no worries about reading the previous series.

The story begins in the restaurant where Sam works. Right off you can tell Sam have goals and is driven towards those goals. She recently was accepted to Harvard Law school and has a plan for her life. I liked that Sam is smart and doesn't downplay her intelligence. She has a few major insecurities but those played in well with her background. Add in the fact the she and Zach have a history and it makes for high tension.

Zach Angelino is a hero but he doesn't feel like one. He feels so far from hero status it's not even a spot on the horizon. Man, I dare any reader not to feel for this guy. Sure, he can be stubborn beyond reason but he's had such a hard time. As a kid and an adult. He has had some bright spots and one of them was the short time he spent with Sam. You can read the free short prequel at the author's site. It's about Sam and Zach's time together. But now Zach is sort of drifting. He's crashing at his sister's apartment with no real direction in his life. Then Sam is there and Zach has to do some serious thinking about what he wants to do. I loved seeing Zach begin to live again and have a purpose in his life. St. Claire did a great job showing the emotions this very stoict man was going through.

Sam and Zach together were smoking hot! The sexual tension was high from the moment they were together. I loved how they fought and made up. They're road to HEA wasn't easy since Sam's running for her life and Zach trying to protect her while trying desperately to keep from getting involved with her again. Yeah, that didn't last long - silly man! And thankfully no stupid "hey, lets have sex while the bullets are flying" scenarios.

The action and suspense fly high with not only Sam and Zach but Vivi, Zach's twin sister getting involved. There are a lot of twists and I found myself like Sam, wondering who to trust. There were a couple of times when things got a little too out there but then reality came back and I was sucked into the story again.

Then you have the Rossi family. They are Zach and Vivi's family of Aunt, Uncle and cousins. And I can't forget Great Uncle Nino. He was a hoot! I loved the close knit, strength of family portrayed throughout the story. It's the foundation of the series and it came through in spades. Edge of Sight left me in need of the next book, Shiver of Fear. Good thing it's sitting on the top of my TBR pile. :)

Rating: A-

Books in this series ~

Taken to the Edge (free prequel)
Edge of Sight
Shiver of Fear
Face of Danger (April 2011)