Autumn Jordon

What was supposed to be a mandatory vacation in Cape James, Virgina turned into something more for U.S. Marshal Jolene Martinez. While out on a boat ride with some friends and the new Chief of Police Norris Stiles, she spots a raft with a child in it floating in the ocean and her instinct kicks in. She jumps into the Atlantic not knowing if the child is alive or dead. Lia, the little girl on the raft is safe now, but where are her parents? Was she kidnapped? With no leads to go on, Norris and Jolene work together to find out what happened to this little girl and to hopefully reunite Lia with her parents.

Jolene and Norris can’t deny the attraction they have to each other, but past mistakes are hard to erase. Neither one of them is looking for a relationship, but working closely together has them both wanting more. I really loved the slow build up between Jolene and Norris. Yes, they were attracted to each other and while they were both contemplating a one night stand, getting to know each other better put a squash on that idea. They genuinely liked and admired each other. Working on the case brought them closer together and they were both able to open up to each other about their past. I really loved the slow build up as they got to know one another. Was there trust in the beginning? No, but as time went by they saw things in each other that they both liked and admired. I felt that they made a great couple throughout the story.

I like that we get to see inside the kidnappers head and get a feel for why Lia was on that boat in the first place. Little by little we learn more of the story and I have to say Autumn Jordan did a great job keeping me guessing as to who the kidnapper was. I am usually pretty good at figuring out who may be the villain, but this time even I was shocked on who it turned out to be. The suspense really kept you going right up to the final moment. There is a twist that was brilliantly done and it was one I never saw coming. It made the kidnapper feel that much more creepier then I would have ever guessed.

Loved By Darkness lived up to all of my expectations and then some. I find that sometimes with romantic suspense, the suspense is usually center stage and the romance part is lacking. You won’t get that here. The suspense and romance were both equal partners and I found it to be such a relief and made the romance that much more believable. I am happy to say that this will not be the last book I pick up from Autumn Jordan. I plan on going back and reading the first two installments to the C.U.F.F. series. Don’t worry, even if you start the series out of order, each book can be read as a standalone.… (més)

Stephanie Boyd is a divorced mother of 2. While on a camping trip in the woods she and the children hear a horrible accident and run to see if they can help. What they walk into is a hijacking of a semi-truck. To make matters worse it seems her ex husband, who works for the local police dept , and the Sheriff are in on the heist.

After seeing the driver shot by the sheriff her ex husband begs Stephanie to take the kids and to try and get away why he distracts them. But after they kill the sheriff they also kill her ex husband. Steph and the kids do manage to get away and make it to the Pennsylvania State Police Department.

It turns out what Steph witnessed was the Russian Mafia robbing a US Treasury shipment. The FBI and Treasury dept have been trying to catch these guys for a while but have never been able to prove that the Russian Mafia is behind the hijackings. Turns out Steph is the first person to ever see them which makes her very a very important witness for both the FBI and the Treasury Dept but also put a bulls eye on her head along with her kids.

FBI agent John Dolton has lost a lot in his life. First his wife and kids and then recently his best friend and partner in the line of duty who was closing in on Russian Mafia. He really wants to bring them down and convinces Steph to help them try and identify who the shooter was. But what they don’t know is that the Mafia has mole inside the U.S. Treasury and also some law enforcement officers in their pockets.

As Steph is the first and only break John has had in solving the case that cost him his family and his partner he makes it his sole mission to make sure nothing happens to these kids and Steph. But keeping his witnesses safe seems impossible when their every move is foreseen by their enemy. John struggles with Steph and her kids at first as they remind him of the family he has lost. After 2 years he never thought he would feel anything again but he finds himself attracted to Steph and warming up to the kids.

The author did a fantastic job of keeping you guessing who the mole was in the dept. I went back and forth so many times on who it was. You were also on the edge of your seat pretty much from beginning to end with all the attempts on their lives. This was my first time reading this authors but it won’t be my last.
… (més)