Book Review: Stranded with a Spy by Merline Lovelace

Merline Lovelace is a favorite author for me.

Stranded with a Spy

by Merline Lovelace

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373275536
• ISBN-13: 978-0373275533

Genre: Romantic Suspense
My Rating:  3.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: October 1, 2007
Escape from hell?

To hell was more like it! When Mallory Dawes, suddenly infamous in the States, decided to take that vacation to France, her problems were just beginning: a lost passport. A car swept out to sea. Missing travelers' checks. And a mysterious, if intriguing, man who always seemed to turn up just when she was in trouble...

Cutter Smith--code name: Slash--was told to keep the beautiful blonde in his sights. But as his interest in her veered from the professional to the intensely personal, Cutter knew the cost of falling in love would be high indeed. And he would have to pay the price...
--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Review:

Mallory Dawes needs a break from several months of not fun notoriety. Mallory left a good, quiet government job to work in a senior Senator’s office. Unfortunately the Senator had roaming hands and when he wouldn’t stop, Mallory quit and filed a sexual harassment suit. Problem is that Mallory’s two past loser lovers were eager to exaggerate their exploits and the press was more than willing to make her look like a loose, money grabbing woman. She is dismayed when the arbitration board rules against her so she is more than ready to go on her long awaited vacation to spend quiet time in the countryside of France.

Fate has other plans. A routine luggage check reveals a disc containing government secrets inside an innocuous music CD cover. Cutter Smith, a James Bond sort of American operative, is sent to keep Mallory in sight as they suspect she may meet with a Russian spy that they have been trying to track down.  Cutter is ruggedly sensual with a face that bears the burn scars from betrayal by his first love.

Mallory takes a side trip to a monastery where she gets stranded by rising tides that wash her rental car, baggage and all out to sea.  Cutter has already rescued Mallory from the unwanted attentions of a drunken tourist. Now he steps in as a “friend” to help her in her stranded distress.

Predictably, Cutter and Mallory fall for each other and he begins to believe that she is innocent of any crime and was being set up or used as a mule. Cutter wants to trust her but the betrayal in his past makes it hard for him to let go his guard. Then there are more attacks and Mallory’s hurt when she learns that Cutter has lied all along.

I liked the characters and the twisted plot. There is plenty of action but unfortunately the story seemed a little flat. There was so much that was predictable. It was pleasant reading but not my favorite book by this marvelous author. Merline Lovelace has written some marvelous historical romances and other really solid romantic suspense. You could read this for a light read but if you have not enjoyed Ms. Lovelace’s work I would recommend The Horse Soldier (historical romance) and the Cleo North Trilogy (military/romantic suspense).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The romance:

She’d seen that spark of heat in his eyes a few moments ago. Felt the sudden, subtle tension sizzle through the air between them. Location 958.

The betrayal:

Well, now she had it. She was the bait he wanted to dangle in front of a shadowy, international thug. Location 1914.

I read this from my own TBR pile. It was a free Kindle read from 2009..

This is set in Europe and in DC. I will add it to my TBR Challenge list too! (YAY)