Review: The best yet in the Ryker siblings' tales, and with...ahem...a bit of 'insider knowledge', even more to come!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 5, 2014
This is book 2 of the Ryker siblings' tales, and whilst it can be read as a standalone, it's best to read them in order, as there's an underlying theme to the tales that continues throughout the series - I am lucky enough to have become a beta-reader to Cali Mackay, and I know that the mystery won't be revealed entirely until the last book of the series.This tale starts off shortly after the events in book 1, with Hadley being the special investigator who's been called in to investigate the fire and also the attempt on the lives of Gabe and Morgan, the middle and youngest brothers. She happens to had had her divorce confirmed the day before she's due to start work, and wanting to feel needed, to feel wanted and to do something for herself for once, she agrees to a night of no-strings sex with a hot stranger she meets in the hotel bar...who turns out to be no other than Gabe Ryker.Well, let's just say that the book started with a bang and pretty much continued in the same vein, as Gabe clearly couldn't keep his hands off Hadley, and though she was focused on solving the case, she was vulnerable to his seduction, and more than happy to succumb to the passion he was showing her, and that had been missing from her life for so long. Hand on heart, the sex scenes in this tale were some of the hottest I've ever read in a mainstream romance, but they were entirely in keeping with the leads and the tale.Hadley was a bit broken, yet filled with determination to start afresh, on her terms, at the start of the tale. Her ex had cheated on her, had lied, had fleeced her and had betrayed her repeatedly, and had put the blame for their problems on her passion for her work. There was yet another betrayal for her in the book - a doubly painful one - it was one that made her able to put her past behind her, finally, and that made her see that Gabe was the man she could count on to be there for her, whatever might happen. He came through for her more than once, physically, sexually, with words, with actions that spoke louder than words, and even if a little misguidedly at the end, financially and professionally...on top of the investigation into the accidents, Hadley's job came under fire due to her relationship with Gabe. I loved that he turned uber-protective and went off to fight and win her battle for her, but also that she was mature enough to see his gesture for what it was: his sincere desire to protect her and to do right by her, seeing as he'd unwittingly left her unprotected and vulnerable, which brought out the alpha in him.I liked that underneath all of the hot, sexy and erotic sex scenes, there was a proper storyline that resolved some issues, but that added to the underlying theme, that the leads were likable and that we got to see Quinn and Emma, the leads from book 1, living their HEA. And, that this tale contained no cliffhangers, but that in the very last chapter, there was a glimpse of the next in the series, which I believe will be out in Autumn 2014, featuring the last brother, Morgan, and the woman he loves but has never been able to claim...and who has a mystery or few of her own.Disclaimer: I am a beta-reader for this author, but the review is entirely mine for which no payment was offered or requested.