Series:
Family Secrets: The Next Generation (Book 2)
Subject: Telekinetic Elizabeth Caldwell.
Family history: Like her siblings, she has powers people
would kill for.
Deepest secret: She walks just this side of the law.
Relishing her newfound freedom from a domineering
brother, Elizabeth wanted only to control her destiny, her power, her heart.
Like a bird set loose from its cage, she tested her wings with Cole Williams.
But was the Philadelphia billionaire too hot for her to handle on her first
solo flight? Retrieving his priceless piece of stolen art was easy, but the man
was dangerously sexy. Despite her desire for independence, she couldn't help
giving in to temptation -- and passion -- with Cole. But then she learned that
someone from her past was hell-bent on finding her -- and Cole was the only one
who could keep her safe. Could she give herself over to his
protection...without risking her body and soul?
Good suspense story with a paranormal element and
fast-paced romance. One of a set of triplets with unique gifts, Elizabeth's
early life was traumatic. After their mother's murder and father's
disappearance, they bounced around foster care until they were thirteen, then went
out on their own. They were later taken in by a businessman who treated them
like his own children. They went to work for him as adults, specializing in retrieving
stolen items.
Elizabeth's brother, Anthony, is super-protective of his
two sisters, causing them to feel smothered. In this book, Elizabeth sets off
on her own after a big argument with him, looking for some freedom. On her
first night, she attends a showing at an art gallery where one item draws her
attention. Something about it strikes her as wrong, but she can't get close
enough to be sure. Determined to confirm her suspicions, she made an
unauthorized visit to the gallery later that night. I loved seeing her use her
intellect, training, and gift to gain
access. It was intriguing to see how she managed it. The one thing she didn't
expect was to find the gallery owner, Cole, waiting for her.
Cole is a very wealthy man who prides himself on his
honesty in both his personal and professional lives. He was horrified and angry
to discover that the centerpiece of his upcoming art show was stolen. With the
help of a contact, he could open the show as scheduled but with a twist. The
night of the show, he noticed a beautiful woman paying great attention to the
sculpture. After a brief conversation, he was even more intrigued by her, but she
also raised his suspicions.
I loved watching the relationship between Cole and Elizabeth
develop. I loved their interactions when he caught her with the statue. Elizabeth
is confident and unflappable, while Cole is suspicious but intrigued,
especially when she claims she can find and retrieve the real statue. I loved
their back and forth as they negotiated their partnership. Simmering under their
banter is an attraction neither can deny. As they prepare to retrieve the
stolen statue, the sparks between them grow stronger, but there are obstacles to
doing anything about it. Cole is still somewhat suspicious, but his growing
feelings for her lead him to trust her. However, he fears for her safety, and
there are some signs of jealousy. Elizabeth finds Cole's protectiveness irritating
and reminiscent of Anthony's control issues, leaving her wary of getting too
involved with him. It takes facing danger for them to admit their feelings to
themselves and each other. One of the things that impressed me was Cole's
respect for Elizabeth and her abilities and his promise not to interfere in her
work. I like the outlook for a happy future together.
The mystery of the statue was well done. It didn't take
long for Elizabeth to figure out the culprit. She also had other suspicions
that Cole disagreed with. I loved watching them plan their operation and carry
out the steps. Their quarry was sufficiently creepy to be completely
unsympathetic, and I enjoyed seeing Elizabeth thwart his advances. I laughed
out loud when Elizabeth demonstrated her camera-placing technique to Cole,
leaving him stunned. I loved their teamwork on the statue retrieval, which went
well until suspect number two showed up. The confrontation was intense but had
a great ending, thanks to Elizabeth.
The story arc of this series is that someone knows about Elizabeth
and her siblings and their unique abilities. He wants control of them for
himself and will stop at nothing to get it. In this book, their adoptive
father, Jeremy, becomes a target. He is saved thanks to an intense scene
involving Elizabeth and Anthony. I'm looking forward to tracking down and
reading the rest of this series.
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