Under Fire

DEEP COVER is the third (and final?) instalment in Scarlett Cole’s contemporary, adult LOVE OVER DUTY erotic, romantic, military suspense series focusing on a group of childhood friends who own and work for Eagle Securities, a Special Ops firm formed by Navy SEALS Cabe Moss, Sixten Rapp, and Malachai “Mac” MacCarrick. This is thirty-four year old, former Navy SEAL Cabe Moss, and twenty-nine year old, FBI agent Amy Murray’s story line. DEEP COVER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary although there is an on-going investigation from book one Under Fire. Told from dual third person perspectives (Cabe and Amy) DEEP COVER follows the building but forbidden relationship between thirty-four year old, former Navy SEAL Cabe Moss, and twenty-nine year old, FBI agent Amy Murray. The FBI and the CIA has called in help from Eagle Securities in their hunt to take down a money-laundering operation, and a potential human trafficking ring operating out of one of San Diego’s largest gambling venues, The Lucky Seven Casino, owned by father and son Hemingway and Faulkner Woods. FBI agent Amy Murray, the daughter and granddaughter of two of Las Vegas’ most prolific poker champions has been tasked to go undercover as a Black Jack dealer, with the help and assistance of Eagle Securities. Enter former Navy SEAL Cabe Moss, the man with whom Amy will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Amy and Cabe, and the potential fall-out as Amy is groomed by the casino boss for something bigger, something that Amy hopes will get her on the inside track to taking down the men responsible for a number of missing women. Cabe Moss battles demons from the past, so much so that the death of his beloved fiancé, killed in action two years earlier, continues to control his highs and lows. Unable to move on from the past, Cabe finds himself struggling with his attraction to FBI Amy Murray, a woman that calls to his heart and his soul, but a heart firmly locked into the past. Amy Murray knows what it is like working in a world dominated by powerful men. Sexually harassed on the job by a superior Amy battles her attraction to Cabe fearing repercussions from the investigation that all but destroyed her career in the FBI. The relationship between Amy and Cabe begins as a ‘fluke’, a quick meeting at a local bar before Cabe walked away without looking back. Working together meant the palpable sexual attraction did not go unnoticed by Cabe’s business partners, partners who themselves, fell in love on the job. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic, seductive and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. The secondary and supporting characters are colorful, fun, sexy and sassy. We are re-introduced to Six and Louisa (Under Fire #1), and Mac and Delaney (Final Siege #2), as well as a number of former SEALs now working for Eagle Securities. With the approach of Six and Louisa’s upcoming nuptials it was fun watching a group of former SEALs trying to plan the wedding for their childhood friend. The requisite evil has many faces including Hemingway and Faulkner Woods, and the Russian syndicate Ivan Popov, Sergei Lemtov and Konstantin Sokolov. DEEP COVER is a story of friendship, brotherhood, moving on from the past, and letting go. The premise is edgy, engaging and heartfelt; the romance is flirty, passionate and moving; the characters are intelligent, realistic and inspiring. DEEP COVER is a suspenseful and emotionally charged tale as one man comes to grips with his past, moving towards his own happily ever after.

I love a good romance filled with suspense and action. Under Fire was definitely that. Louisa is a scientist that is working on a cure for Huntington’s disease. Someone has stolen what they assumed was a fatal, but failed sample of her experiment. She met Six at a fundraiser where he was working security and she eventually shares with him her concerns regarding her work. Things heat up pretty quickly story wise while their relationship is a little slower to burn. Once the fuse is ignited however, things get hot fast. There was some push and pull due to Lou being a client of Six’s new security business but he finds it virtually impossible to stay away from her. Lou is practically crippled with shyness but she slowly comes out of it to a degree by the end of the book. I enjoyed watching her grow under Six’s tender care. Six is a great hero who knows when to push Lou and when to back away. He is certainly a man’s man. This is a fast paced read with lots of action and great secondary characters that I’m sure will be getting their own stories. I’ll be signing up for those as well! ARC provided by NetGalley Dual POV Safe No apparent triggers

What a fantastic way to kick off a new series! I adored this book and it gives us a different side to Scarlett Cole's writing. I must say she nailed it! The perfect blend of romance and suspense to keep me turning page after page. Sixten "Six" Rapp is a former Navy SEAL starting up a security firm with his buddies. His first assignment is protecting Dr. Louisa North. A scientist researching a treatment for a previously incurable disease. She develops an chemical agent that is so powerful the wrong people want to get their hands on it for all the wrong reasons. Six is skeptical at first but quickly sees that the threat against Louisa is real. And the more he gets to know how the more he wants to make sure she stays safe. A great fast paced story that you won't want to put down. This is one for the must read list. I highly recommend it.