Book Review: Bound to Danger: A Deadly Ops Novel by Katie Reus

I enjoyed the strong action with second chance romance in spite of some annoying issues.

Bound to Danger: A Deadly Ops Novel

by Katie Reus

• File Size: 1792 KB
• Print Length: 346 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0451419227
• Publisher: Signet (August 5, 2014)
• Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
• ASIN: B00HZ1E5UI

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Military Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: August 5, 2014
At a benefit dinner, community activist Maria Cervantes overhears two men plotting a terrorist attack that could rock Miami to its core. But before she can alert authorities, she’s almost killed in a massive explosion—and wakes up in a hospital with no memory of what happened. As the sole survivor of the attack, she is now a person of interest to the NSA—and especially to Agent Cade O’Reilly. Because Maria is the one woman Cade has never been able to forget.

Years ago, they were closer than either was willing to admit—until Cade disappeared when Maria needed him most. Now he’s sticking by her, whether she likes it or not. Because the memories locked inside her mind could hold vital clues to the next attack. Because terrorists want her dead—and because he never wants to let her go again.

Review:
Maria Cervantis is part of a wealthy family of givers with Maria working in a local community program to help disadvantaged kids. Maria has been suffering from flu symptoms for a week but insists on attending a high society party to make an appearance for her board of directors. While finding her way from a private bathroom to return to her car Maria overhears three men, one being a voice she knows, planning terrorist attacks around Miami. Distressed and wretchedly ill, Maria stumbles outside to get fresh air and to get to her car so she can call someone to report what she has heard. Before she gets to the car the mansion blows sky high behind her. Stunned and thrown to the ground, Maria awakens to discover she is the sole survivor and, not only has her mother died in the explosion, but she has lost her memory of the evening's events.

Cade O’Rielly is a special forces agent working for the National Security Agency (NSA). He volunteers to determine what connection Maria might have to the bombing as he has a past history with Maria.  He was best friends with her brother while they served in Afghanistan together eight years before. Cade had started a friendship and tentative relationship with Maria until her brother died and Cade, filled with guilt, disconnected himself from her life.

Parts of this made good sense when Cade would focus on protecting Maria and not dash off after the terrorists which happens in some books/movies. There was also a good mix of potential suspects for the person Maria knew but wasn’t remembering. There were some good diversions, some irony and lots of good, fast paced action.

I mostly liked Cade as a character and sort of liked Maria. I think she was strong but the traumatic loss was pretty devastating. Her sorrow didn't keep her from wanting to jump all over Cade though and at one point my thoughts of her were pretty negative.  My objections are that midway I was really tired of the repetition: guilt for Cade, ‘sob, sob’ for Maria, but, ‘okay’ lets use steamy sex as a distraction. It was time to get over the “she was a mess” parts and move past the 'eye candy' and the guilt and get to acknowledging their feelings, then finishing the suspense of the story. I was glad when the author got to wrapping it up. Overall I enjoyed the action and romance in this story in spite of those issues. I would be willing to try another book by Ms. Reus.

I received this from the Publisher through NetGalley.