Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed on 5/9/2019 + 2608 more book reviews

Fantastic conclusion to the series. I have been looking forward to this book since the beginning because Nikki Waters is a fascinating character. Anyone who can go from secretary to owner/operator of a successful security firm must be a powerful force, and so she proved in the earlier books. In this story, Nikki saw her best agents and friends finding love and settling down. Orion Security has been her life, but now she's ready to look for more. But her first attempt at a speed dating event was crashed by a man with a grudge. Andrew Miller was her boss before she left to start Orion and he holds her responsible for the loss of his job and reputation. He was blunt about his intention to make her suffer before he kills her.

Jackson is the newest member of Orion Security. The book opened with Jonathan standing up to Nikki in defense of his latest recruit. Jackson has a lot of baggage from his past, and Orion is likely his last chance for the life he wants.

I loved the first meeting between Nikki and Jackson. The sparks between them darn near set the room on fire, though both maintained a professional attitude. Nikki wasn't exactly thrilled with the feeling, as she was still not convinced of Jackson's suitability for the job. Her attitude was still pretty snippy when Jackson was tagged to pick her up because of her "car trouble." I loved Jackson's intuitiveness when it came to her, and how he immediately sensed that she was in more trouble than she would admit. He immediately felt protective of her. As the danger to Nikki escalated, Jackson's determination to keep her safe also increased, as did the attraction that burned between them. Though they tried to maintain the boss/employee relationship, when Nikki punched a cop who was abusing Jackson, he couldn't help but kiss her. I loved seeing the relationship between them develop. Each recognized in the other the same loneliness that came from the roads their lives had taken, and those similarities drew them closer together. The danger to them both accelerated the growth of their feelings for each other, and by the end, it was easy to see how much they cared. I loved the scene at the burned-out headquarters where Jackson showed just how well he knew and understood her. The chapter ended with the feeling of the potential between them. The epilogue was an excellent wrap-up to the series. I loved seeing each of the four couples and the changes to their lives.

The suspense and action of the story were fantastic. We know who the bad guy is from the beginning, as well as his motivations. This did not detract from the story, but instead gave it an extra layer of menace. Nikki wasn't too worried about the threats at first, but that changed quickly after the first physical attack on her. I loved how Jackson's instincts made sure he was there to save her from it, and that he wouldn't leave her side from then on. I was glued to the pages through the entire book, as Nikki and Jackson struggled to stay ahead of the danger. I liked the realism that showed both Jackson and Nikki suffering injuries, rather than coming through it all like superheroes. Andrew was much more devious than anyone gave him credit for, and there were multiple twists to the action that kept everyone on edge. The scene at the construction site was nerve-wracking, and the final confrontation at Orion headquarters was terrifying. The conclusion was well done, leaving me satisfied that everyone got what was coming to them.

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