Review: Enjoyable Romantic Suspense
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 25, 2011
A Just Deception was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Carina Press.Peter `Monk' Jessup is an ex navy-SEAL now employed by Taylor Securities. Forced into 3 weeks of personal vacation after the death of two close friends, he agrees to provide security advice to a friend of his boss.Isabelle DeRosa is a defense lawyer and everything Peter loves - classy, sexy and smart but deep down she is hiding a devastating past where she was sexually abused at the hands of her twisted cousin Kendrick. I enjoyed the initial meeting between Peter and Isabelle, their chemistry and attraction was immediate as was his protective streak.Peter is from a family of privilege and has snubbed everything to do with the lifestyle expected of him, he is determined, upfront and supportive of those around him, especially Isabelle and seeing him earn her trust and ease the barriers she uses to protect her heart was really sweet.When Isabelle becomes a suspect in the murder of her cousin, she agrees to help the FBI with infiltrating the cult like group her cousin and his partner founded in Ohio and become close to the leader, gain the residents trust and find out the secrets the foundation holds.I loved the mystery, suspense and action in A Just Deception, it was an engaging read that kept me turning the pages and wanting to know more, there was never a dull moment. I was eager to find out who the murderer was and the reasoning.What I didn't like: What disturbed me with the topic of Isabelle and the sexual abuse she had to endure was the fact she had never sought counseling for what she had been through as a child; it has left her emotionally scarred, she was damaged and broken but never sought the help required. Her family more or less brushed it under the mat, I was also surprised she worked for her uncle, the father of the man who assaulted her, it just didn't add up to me. Other than this I really enjoyed the book.Ms Giordano has written an enjoyable romantic suspense, the witty dialogue; laugh out loud moments, fast-paced action and solid character development really kept me entertained. It took us on an emotional journey to see both characters accept each other physically and emotionally, seeing them have to work for a HEA was wonderful.A Just Deception is book 2 in the Private Protectors series, I haven't read book 1 and found I was able to read this perfectly as a stand-alone novel.