Series:
Citadel Solutions (Book 1)
Duty was supposed to be simple -- until she walked into
his mission.
Ethan Cross doesn't get emotionally involved. As the head
of Citadel Solutions, he handles high-stakes security with military precision
and zero distractions. Protecting international pop star Nova Rivers from a
dangerous stalker? Just another job.
Until he meets her sister.
Melanie Rivers is the quiet force behind Nova's chaotic
empire -- efficient, invisible, and utterly selfless. She's spent her life in
the shadows, sacrificing her dreams to hold her family together.
But Ethan notices what no one else does -- the way she
shoulders everyone's burdens without complaint, the quiet fire burning beneath
her calm exterior. She's not the client. She's not part of the mission. Yet the
longer he's near her, the harder it gets to remember the lines he swore he'd
never cross.
But in an industry full of secrets, danger lurks closer
than anyone suspects. And one wrong move could cost them everything.
He was hired to keep one woman safe… but the one he can't
stop thinking about might be the one who brings him to his knees.
When two of my favorite romantic suspense authors
recommend a brand-new author, it is definitely motivation to try them. I was
not disappointed, as this book reminded me of Janie Crouch's Linear Tactical
books and Josie Jade's Resting Warrior Ranch series. The characters were
complex, and the action scenes kept me glued to the pages.
Ethan is the founder and head of Citadel Solutions, the
elite security firm he started after he left the military. He has a reputation for
being cool under fire and impossible to distract. If he's haunted by the things
he experienced, well, staying busy keeps the ghosts at bay. Being hired to
protect pop star and diva Nova Rivers is just another day at the office.
Nova's sister, Mel, has devoted her life to making Nova's
dreams come true. She's quiet, blends into the background, and puts everyone
else's needs before her own.
Ethan's first meeting with Nova and Mel doesn't go well.
Nova laughs off the idea of a dangerous stalker, resists any notion of
restricting her activities, and generally behaves like a spoiled brat. Mel's
business-focused attitude rubs Ethan the wrong way because she reminds him of
his ex-fiancée. He turns down the job initially, but reconsiders when the
stalker strikes again.
The mix of suspense and romance was very well done. Ethan
and his team settle in to protect Nova and Mel while investigating the stalking
situation. As he spends more time with them, Ethan begins to see them differently.
He is drawn unwillingly to Mel, seeing past her professional façade to her
warm, caring nature. Mel doesn't know what to think about Ethan. He's the first
person to see her, from her growing exhaustion and burnout to the dreams of
home and family portrayed in her paintings. At the same time, Mel sees past
Ethan's control to the memories that haunt him. I liked seeing how happy he was
when he was with her.
The suspense builds as they prepare for Nova's multi-city
tour. Each city brings new challenges and escalating threats. Each one added more
intensity to the team's determination to identify and stop whoever is behind them.
Just as I thought I had it figured out, an unexpected twist threw my theory out
the window. The final confrontation was a nail-biter and kept me glued to the
pages to the end.
Once the danger is past, Ethan and Mel will have to
decide if their burgeoning relationship has a future. I liked their honesty with
each other and seeing how they worked things out. The epilogue was terrific and
I can't wait to see them in future books.
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