I wanted to love this book. One of my favorite summer subgenres is romantic suspense and this book seemed like it would hit all my favorite buttons: best friend’s sister, sexy SEALs, suspenseful plot line. Unfortunately, the relationships fell a little flat for me.

I didn’t hate this book. It had some real potential. Ms. McCarty is an excellent writer she just tried to do a little too much. The SEAL slang and military talk wasn’t overdone and seemed believable. I liked the international culture aspect and McCarty handled the many locations and shifting plot lines with ease.

Going into this book, I was expecting a part second chance love story, part best friend’s sister story. What I didn’t expect was two parallel relationships with almost equal page time. While I usually enjoy a good romance between sub characters, Kate and Colt, a divorced couple who have to work together to try to solve the over arching mystery, almost stole the show from Brittany and John.

Brittany is an investigative reporter investigating her SEAL brother’s mysterious disappearance. John is Brittany’s brother’s best friend on a secret SEAL team. He is tasked with trying to stop Brittany from reporting while still living in deep cover.

Just putting this out there, both Colt and John did and said some unforgivable things. I really disliked them. John’s immature, scared of commitment, continually hot and cold attitude made Brittany look weak for loving him. Kate was the only character I really connected with. She was strong and professional even in the face of Colt’s open hatred.

I don’t feel like this book moved the over arching plot forward at all. If anything, it seemed like a prequel for Colt and Kate’s book. John and Brittany’s relationship was almost completely secondary.

While this book is a page turner, I was left with conflicted feelings at the end. I am intrigued enough to read on in this series, especially because I am completely invested in Kate getting an HEA. Let me just say, if Colt is going to be her “hero” he had better grovel A LOT.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

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