Review of NIGHTFIRE by Lisa Marie Rice

NIGHTFIRE, Protectors #3

LISA MARIE RICE

Publisher:  Avon Red

Published:  February 7, 2012

ISBN:  9780061808289

Genre:  Romantic Suspense 

Trade Paperback and ebook

Copy provided by publisher for review

Chloe Mason's childhood memories consist of seemingly endless hospital stays. Now all grown up and healthy, her determination to fill the gaping holes in her past leads her to her long-lost brother, Harry . . . which brings Harry's friend and business partner, Mike Keillor, crashing into her life and her heart.

Former Marine Force Recon sniper and SWAT officer--a martial arts expert and owner of a successful security company--Mike can deal coolly and efficiently with any threat . . . until he's blindsided by something he never expected: fierce, fiery passion . . . and love.

But when Chloe inadvertently crosses the Russian mob, Mike realizes that evil is darkening his world once again. He has already lost his family; he will not lose the woman who enflames him, who makes him whole. Failure is not an option.

My Ratings

Review

Sexual

Well, I did it again.  I started a new series from an author I’ve never read before and wouldn’t you know it, I read the last book of the series first. *head desk* All is not lost – this book is phenomenal and another author is on the TBR Mountain.  However, the book can be read as a stand alone; as I didn't miss a thing by not reading the first two.

A bit of a warning here:  Women are treated as chattel during portions of this story.  The Russian Mob cover all the bases:  water boarding torture, underage prostitution, white slave trade, and sexual abuse.  The character of Nikitin is written so bad creepy, he's the character you love to hate.

Mike and Chloe are complete opposites and are made for each other.  Mike is the big, bad alpha; former Marine and SWAT officer.  Whose man-whore "I don't need no one" ways get him into a whole heap of trouble.  But of course, once he lays eyes on Chloe, it's like a sucker punch to the gut and he's a goner!

Chloe was light itself and he was helplessly drawn to it, to her.  There was some kind of aura there,  something he'd never seen in anyone else before, something that drew him in without any volition on his part.  His legs moved without him willing it, his entire body moving toward the light, moving toward something it had never seen before and instantly recognized as something it craved.

I don't think I have ever read a character such as Chloe before.  Physically, she is as delicate as a piece of fine cut crystal - so fragile she can break at any time.  But Chloe has the strength and determination of an Amazon Warrior to survive and overcome the hand life dealt her.

NIGHTFIRE has all the ingredients I look for in romantic suspense:  creepy bad guys hatching a nefarious plot with a heroine in distress as the alpha hero comes to the rescue.  Yes, it's a well worn plot, but Ms. Rice has done it so well! Now, on to reading the first two books of this series, INTO THE CROSSFIRE and HOTTER THAN WILDFIRE!