Review: An ok read for me (did not realize this isn't a real standalone story when I bought it)
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 05 16, 2014
The PremiseZachary Hunter is a writer who finds himself threatened over one of his books - seems that there were some folks that are offended by his take on organized crime and are looking to make him an example.  A dead one.  So Zach lets his friend Jake set him up with a few bodyguards.  Danielle “Dani” Sinclair, is a petite little dynamo whose first impression of Zach isn’t the greatest - since he’s floating in a pool, naked with a blond wrapped around him.  Zach’s what we like to call a man-hoe.  He loves women—as long as they don’t want more than a little fun in the bedroom.  So when he sees Dani, she isn’t what he expects or wants.  But he cannot stay away from her.  Dani was hurt in an explosion during her time in the military and is rehabbing, hoping to pass her physical and re-enter the Army, so she’s taken on this security detail to pass the time until then.  Zach’s not what she expected - but is he everything she needs?The GoodI’ve never read anything by Ms. Croft before, and when I saw it on amazon, I figured it was an inexpensive read and took a chance.  I really liked the idea of a female bodyguard, especially someone who worked with dogs.  To think of someone petite like Dani (who’s 5’1”) protecting Zach was a play on the usual standard of the muscled male hero protector.  There were some decent dialogue between them, and I think there was chemistry between them.  Zach is funny and sweet and his attraction and eventual love for Dani was appealing.  While scared of commitment, he eventually realizes how much he wants Dani and doesn’t shy away from it.The Not So GoodThe book suffers from a lack of detail.  I also didn’t know that this wasn’t the first book in the series, so if there was any character development for Dani and the other bodyguards there, it definitely affected my enjoyment here.The premise is sketched out but never filled in.  Zach is developed fairly well, but Dani felt too much like a cipher. For example, Dani works with the dogs, but other than running with or petting them, there’s no information regarding what would go into training the dogs or why it’s her specialty.  I didn’t even realize that she was from England and served there until very late in the book.  She’s a virgin, but she’s essentially mute during their sexual encounters and there was a disconnect between them as a result.  It felt more like <i>Zach</i> was attracted and <i>Zach</i> was interested, Dani just <i>let</i> him do stuff.  There was something made out of one of the other bodyguards, Simon, having a crush on Dani.  You never see any evidence of it, except for a passing description of a frown here or there.The Bottom LineIt’s an interesting idea that didn’t quite click for me.  I may give this another shot, if I get a chance to read the first book in the series.