A kill squad is closing in…
Now this team leader must risk everything for answers
Barely escaping CIA mercenaries, ex-agent Hunter Wright
is after the person he thinks targeted his ops team, Topaz, for treason. Deputy
director Kelly Russell is still the one woman he can't resist, but she believes
Hunter went rogue. Now she's his only shot at getting the answers they need.
Can they trust each other enough to save Topaz -- and each other?
Terrific conclusion to the series. For the last eighteen months,
the members of the Topaz Unit have been on the run. Accused of betraying their
country for money, they know they are innocents of the charges and are
desperate to clear their names. Meanwhile, the powers-that-be at the CIA have
sent hit squad after hit squad to silence them. Hunter Wright,
Topaz's team leader, has done his best to protect his teammates who have barely
escaped their pursuers. All of them and their significant others have joined
Hunter on his sanctuary island, where they decide it is time to return to the US
and get the answers they need.
Two years earlier, Hunter and the team's handler, Kelly
Russell, grew very close. After one passion-filled night, Kelly pulled back,
insisting on returning to a professional relationship. Not long after that,
Topaz Unit was sent on the mission that started their troubles. They suspected
something was off but carried out their orders, only to discover that they had
killed the wrong person. When they were declared traitors, Hunter believed that
Kelly had set them up, and when he learned of her promotion, he was sure of it.
In previous books, we have seen Kelly's determination to exterminate the team
vehement in her characterization of them as traitors. Hunter is understandably
hurt and angry that she could believe him capable of such heinous behavior.
Thanks to discovering a tracking device at the end of the
previous book, the team knows their days on the island are numbered. As the
story opens, they await the next attack. I was on the edge of my seat as they
lay in wait, trap baited. I loved watching them kick butt while Kelly and the
others followed the events in horrified disbelief. Kelly's frustration is
palpable, and her frustration with her coworker is evident. That was my first
inkling that everything might not be what it seemed. I loved seeing the team
make a clean getaway, and advance their plans to discover the truth.
The story's suspense built from event to event, chapter
to chapter, as the team grew closer to uncovering the truth. Hunter's first
step was a confrontation with Kelly, and I loved how he set that up. Face-to-face
for the first time since that fateful mission, their exchange was heartbreaking
and satisfying. Though she was skeptical of Hunter's claims, he raised just
enough doubt that she promised to look into it. Those inquiries stirred up a hornets'
nest, and the team worked hard to protect themselves and, eventually, Kelly. Bombs,
snipers, mass shootings, made for non-stop action as Hunter and Kelly raced to uncover
the who and why of the set-up. Just when I thought I knew who was behind it, an
unexpected twist proved me wrong. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with
Kelly caught in the clutches of the mastermind. The motivations behind it all shocked
me, and the steps taken to ensure success were horrifying. I was glued to the pages
as Hunter, the other Topaz members, and some of John's SEAL friends arrived in
time to save the day.
Much of the relationship between Hunter and Kelly
happened off-page at the beginning of the book. Despite her being his boss, their
time together deepened the attraction that grew between them. I was as
frustrated as Hunter was at Kelly's lack of faith in Hunter's honor. I'm not
sure I could be as forgiving as he was. I could feel Hunter's pain when he
kidnapped Kelly and tortured her to get her to listen. Kelly's guilt was
evident as she uncovered the manipulations that made her believe in Hunter's
treachery. Once she saw the truth, she allowed herself to pursue her growing feelings
for him. The epilogue was terrific with finding out the results of their work
and seeing the happiness of the four couples. I loved the twist in the big
moment between Hunter and Kelly. 
Now this team leader must risk everything for answers
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