Review: Great start to a new series
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 24, 2013
I really got more than I bargained for with Texas Hold `Em by Kay David. This is a romantic suspense novel set in West Texas near the border to Mexico. It is raw, gritty, and a little scary...not that I'm naive about the fact that drug cartels exist and the things they do to stay in business but it's hard knowing what law enforcement must say, do, and see in order to bring them down.Timothy Santos is deep undercover in a motorcycle gang of his making trying to bring down a cartel leader. Problem is his informant who is inside with the cartel leader has gone silent for too long and he's worried for more than one reason. Now he's forced to seek help from the local sheriff who use to be his live in girlfriend. To say Rose Renwick isn't happy to see him again is putting it mildly.This is a deeply complex plot with a lot of players and it moves quite quickly. The reunion between Santos and Rose is not easy, it is obvious she is still hurt from their breakup and he realizes he still has some deep feelings for her. They are thrown together quickly and often due to the nature of this story. Their chemistry is off the charts and when they do finally succumb it is obvious the need they have for one another.There are some graphic and brutal scenes as one would expect in a book dealing with drug cartels, biker gangs, and law enforcement. It is sometimes frustrating and sometimes unsettling, but they are necessary to convey the serious nature of this type of story.While one big piece of the puzzle was solved in this story, a sizeable chunk of the story was left open with more to come in the next book. I was pleased that Santos and Rose were able to work through their issues and appear headed in the right direction but the fact that the book is a "to be continued" story rather than a finished one drives me a little nuts. Texas Hold `Em possesses strong writing, complex and interesting characters, and an outstanding plot. Had the story been wrapped up, I would have given it a higher star rating.Review copy provided for an honest review.