Review: Guarding Hope - Contego Agency 01
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 7, 2013
Just to cut to the chase - you want this book.  You want it now.  You want to stop what you're reading and read this instead.I always know that when I buy an Ann Mayburn book, I'm getting quality.  Her characters are strong and her storylines are always tight and believable.  "Guarding Hope" was no different.Danny Escobar is a former Marine now working as a security specialist who suffers from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) relating to a horrid childhood as well as his service in the Middle East.  Sounds cliche, right?  Yet it's not.  I totally related to Danny.  Every step of the way, I felt his pain and panic as believable.  And while both elements were an integral part of the story, neither was the focus.Hope Walker is Danny's high school love and the one that got away.  She is also now the target of a mob boss who wants revenge/information.  Hope made me laugh.  She didn't take any crap and she didn't whine about her situation.  I prefer my female leads to be strong, adult women.  Hope fit the bill perfectly.Hope's father hires the agency Danny works for to protect her from the mob boss targeting her.  The action really takes off from there.  As you can imagine, the chemistry between Danny and Hope is off-the-charts from the get go and it pulls you in immediately.  I don't want to give anything away, but the shower scene is original, hot enough to burst you in to flames, and detailed enough to make you smile.  Every bit of this story kept me glued to the page and I really didn't want to see it end.I understand that there was some hesitancy regarding this being an interracial story.  Frankly, I don't see it.  It's a LOVE story.  The characters are likable and I don't really think anyone cares what their race was.  (Though I will admit that I was tired of hearing Hope's skin described as 'cinnamon'.  Once, fine. Twice, okay.  More than that becomes repetitive.)Bottom line - this is a great story filled with believable people.  I REALLY want more Contego Agency.  You will too.