Madame Lambert has a secret from her past that could jeopardize her future, both her life and her career as the head of The Committee, an undercover anti-terrorist faction in England.

Josef Serafin, a terrorist seeking The Committee's assistance to flee Africa in exchange for intel, is Madame Lambert's secret.

The history between Lambert and Serafin, told in brief, poignant scenes, adds depth and humanity to an otherwise strictly plot-driven romantic thriller (heavy on the thriller, lighter on the romance).

I was impressed with the sexual tension, the emotional underplay, and the complexity of the relationships in this novel. For the most part, the switching of point of view from scene to scene did not interrupt the flow of the overall narrative. I particularly enjoyed Lambert's point of view juxtaposed with Serafin's point of view. The male/female dynamic was very well done.

The only thing keeping me from rating this book higher would be the contrived plot. I don't know how Stuart could have made it fresher, as her techniques were all well executed. I just didn't end the book feeling exhilarated like I do whenever I read a five-star novel.

Overall, it is a solid book for anyone interested in thrillers with a romantic twist. The emotional underplay is taut and inviting throughout the narrative and resolves well in the end. ( )

Love this series. ( )

Ice Storm
3.5 Stars

The suspense plot is exciting but the romance falls flat.

Isobel never appealed to me as a character in the previous books mainly due to the fact that she comes across as cold, aloof and unemotional. While this works well for the strong willed and independent leader of a covert organization, it does not make for an approachable romance heroine. Unfortunately, Stuart attempts to remedy this by highlighting Isobel's vulnerability and her past history with Killian but merely succeeds in turning her into an idiotic airhead who allows her libido to override her common sense. She isn't even an effective agent - what kind of covert operative can't speak any other languages, especially Arabic?

Killian is initially depicted as a lethal and cold-hearted killer with no scruples whatsoever. Nevertheless, given the nature of the other heroes in the series, it is obvious that there is more to him than meets the eye and it is, therefore, no surprise when he truth is revealed about this enigmatic mercenary.

In terms of the romance, the emotional connection between Killian and Isobel fails to materialize and their love/hate relationship never moves beyond the hate into the love. It remains unclear at the end if either of them actually cares whether or not the other lives or dies.

The rest of the storyline involving a mole within the Committee who seems bent on destroying Isobel and her operatives is exciting and action packed. The glimpses into the lives of the couples from previous installments is a real highlight and make this a worthwhile addition to the series. Reno's book is next and it will be interesting to see what type of operative he turns into. ( )

Love this series. ( )

I didn't like this book when I started it but decided to keep reading. At the beginning, I was bored - wasn't interested in Isobel Lambert's story as the head of The Committee. But, oh boy! I am so glad I kept reading. You have to get several chapters into this one before it grabs you.
Serafin, the most dangerous man in the world, has agreed to give The Committee some valuable information if they will help him get to England alive. Isobel goes to get him and this starts a while ride of dangerous situations plus the added bonus of a boy, Mahmoud, who is along for the ride and Reno as a new operative.
Not as much bad language and explicit sex in this book which is a good thing and more about the plot. I ended up really enjoying this story. ( )