DANGEROUS SECRETS

Author: Lisa Marie Rice ISBN: 9780061208607 7/2008 EROTIC SUSPENSE Publisher: AVON RED

Small-town librarian Charity Prewitt never dreamed she'd meet and fall in love with a man like Nicholas Ames. The handsome, rich, charming, sexy-as-hell millionaire blew into tiny Parker's Ridge, Vermont, and immediately rocked her world. Powerful, sensual, the perfect man, Nick knows all the right words—and all the right spots to touch, sending her soaring to dizzying new heights of ecstatic abandon. Never before has prim and proper Charity leapt into bed with a perfect stranger—and now that she's there with him, nothing is going to drag her away! But Nick Ames is not who he claims to be. In truth, he is Nicholas Ireland—the one they call "Iceman." A former Delta Force operator, now a high-level undercover agent, he will do whatever his government asks of him—lie, seduce, betray . . . even kill, if necessary—for the sake of the mission. And this time his mission is Charity Prewitt. Suddenly one woman has broken down his chilly restraint and ignited his passions completely. And before the erotic dream turns into a nightmare, will Charity be able to melt the Iceman's cold, cold heart?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

One of my best author finds of this year has been Lisa Marie Rice, who writes hot and suspenseful romance with sexy alpha heroes to die for! And her latest, DANGEROUS SECRETS, definitely delivered on all accounts.

Nick Ireland works undercover for the government to take down the bag guys. In his latest mission, he's been sent to a small, sleepy town in Vermont to get close to its local librarian, Charity Prewitt. Charity is friends with Vassily Worontzoff, a major player in the Russian mob who currently resides in town because he thinks his long dead love Katya has come back to him as the local librarian. Vassily is in the middle of a major deal and its Nick's job to stop it. He will do whatever it takes, including seducing Charity, to reach his goal. What Nick doesn't count on is falling for Charity. Because once he does, all bets are off, and he's not about to let anyone get their hands on the woman he loves.

There are just not enough words to express how good DANGEROUS SECRETS was. Both steamy and thrilling, I was hooked from the very first word to the very last. Nick, who goes undercover as Nick Ames, successful New York business man, is a classic Lisa Marie Rice hero. He's ex-Army and continues to serve his country in his present role. He's tough, and he proves that many times throughout the novel. All the while, Charity is unsuspecting of Nick's true reason for being in town and his sudden interest in her. For however long it lasts, Charity is going to go with it. She has never felt this way before in her life, and will cherish every moment spent with Nick as she knows that he will one day leave her. And he does, but it is not in the way that she imagined. The chemistry between these two is off the charts and each and every love scene they share is hotter that the previous one. This is definitely a book to be read while drinking a nice, cool glass of lemonade.

Another great aspect of this novel was the reader's insight into the mind of Worontzoff. He has suffered many injustices and horrors in his past, but now he is a dangerous man that will do anything to have Charity, even kill. I love that Rice always writes the story from the view of the villain, as I find that just as interesting as the main story between the hero and heroine. What makes these people tick? Why do they do the things they do? Instead of wondering, readers are given a front row view into the inner mind of this evil man, which I think adds to the story rather than detracts from it.

DANGEROUS SECRETS is a novel I will be re-reading very soon. There are times when I am doing something else, and a line or a passage will pop into my memory and I will smile. Lisa Marie Rice writes powerful stories that pack a punch, and I cannot wait to read her next work of fiction!

Maame Kanbi