Title: Unlawful Contact Series: I-Team
Author: Pamela Clare
Read copy: eBook
Published: March 30, 2008
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 1101417897
ISBN-13: 9781101417898
Journalist Sophie Alton is investigating the disappearance of a young mother named Megan, recently paroled and now running from the law with her baby daughter. Sophie's search leads her to Megan's brother, Marc, a convicted killer—and the man she shared an unforgettable night with twelve years ago.
Condemned to life in prison, Marc uses Sophie to escape so he can find his sister and protect her from the monster who's pursuing her. Sophie knows she should fear Marc. But the heat and hunger of his touch still lingers in her mind—and on her body—after all this time.
Together they will follow a dangerous trail, as people on both sides of the law do everything they can to keep Sophie and Mark from finding Megan—and a shocking truth about the past...
My rating:
A young woman, barely out of jail, disappeared with her infant daughter, and police found drugs in her room. Sophie Alton, the reporter who covered Megan’s case is determined to find the young woman and help her somehow, but no one knows where she is.
Then the woman’s half-brother reaches out to Sophie from his prison cell decided to grant her an interview from which Sophie hopes to get clues as to Megan’s whereabouts. Little does she know the interview is just a ruse for the convicted murderer to end serving his life sentence. Or that the man holding her hostage is also the boy she’s given herself to twelve years ago. Her first lover...And her first love.
But Marc Hunter escaped prison only to find his missing sister, and protect her and his niece from the people who supposedly want Megan dead. The same people who have now set their sights on Sophie.
This series is getting better and better with this book being the best of the bunch. Great characters and great stories are a staple in this series, but there’s just something that sets this apart.
Maybe it was the hero—a tortured hero doesn’t get more tortured than this...Escaping prison, falling in love, imagining the life you could’ve had, and knowing there’s really no future, no happily ever after.
Yet nothing seemed to bring Marc Hunter down. This guy was a man on a mission, determined to protect his sister (paying the ultimate price for it) and the woman he loved at all cost. He knew he was a screw-up, he knew he didn’t deserve happiness, and he accepted it. Accepted it and moved on, determined in reaching his purpose.
Was it any wonder Sophie paled in comparison? I’m not saying this to demean her character, she was a wonderful heroine, strong, intelligent, spunky, stubborn, and resilient. She didn’t go all stupid on Marc like her predecessor did on her hero, she knew when she was out of her depths, she knew when to let the man lead, and she knew when she was valuable and essential.
I loved Sophie, but yeah, the poor woman was outshone by her hero in almost every scene.
But don’t let that little tidbit fool you into thinking the romance between these two was lukewarm. Far from it, my friend. Whenever these two shared a scene, be it intimate or not, sparks flew, but when the clothes were off, those sparks became an inferno.
It was all about sexual tension and frustration in the beginning, but once that was over, all bets were off. They incinerated the pages, their intimate scenes sensual, sexy, and hot beyond hot.
And I loved the partnership they’ve created. Their story might have started off on the wrong foot, but as it evolved and changed, morphed into romance, they became true partners.
Then there was Julian. For a guy who was such a loner in his own book, it was a real surprise and pleasure reading of how he was willing to go to the mat for his friends...And the few scenes with him and Marc were a true highlight of his story.
And then there was suspense. Slowly creeping onto the scene, with clues dribbled here and there, the intensity and pacing built up to that last few gripping, nail-biting chapters, making this book into an “unputdownable” page-turner.
The topic in this one was also tough and real, offering plenty heart rendering moments, contrasting them with feelings of rage and impotency. The villains weren’t easily spotted, and there were quite a few red herrings and false leads sprinkled throughout the plot. But in the end, no matter what, good prevailed, evil was vanquished and all was well in the Land of Romance. Not very realistic, that, but good for the soul.
Wonderful, realistic characters, a tight plot, perfectly paced, well-written, with a romance the reader becomes invested in (especially with no direct reassurances of a HEA), a grippingly intense suspense, loads of danger and drama, great action, and just the right amount of pathos toward the end to keep the reader interested, engaged, and turning the pages.
Loved it!
5 stars, bodyguard/military/merc/gov/cop/spy, contemporary, contemporary romance, favorites, Pamela Clare, suspense/mystery/adventure/thriller
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