I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lori Foster continues to NOT disappoint! The story of Miles and Maxi contains all the romance and suspense that Lori continues to throw in her Body Armor series as well as those protective male alphas from the Ultimate series! Love how the old and new friends are always there for each other unconditionally. This book had me on the edge from start to first. Even when I thought I knew who the suspect was, Lori somehow was able to through me off the track. You rock Lori!!! Can’t wait for Sahara’s story as that should be HOT!

CLOSE CONTACT is amazing! I am a big fan of author Lori Foster and can honestly say there isn't anything she has written that I haven't liked, but this one just hit a lot of aww notes for me. Maxi is a tough young woman, who has made mistakes and believes, wrongly, that she must continue to make "restitution" for those youthful follies. So did her family, until Maxi was able to get them to back off and start to leave her alone. It was Miles who gave her the push to not believe the crap that she was an underachiever, just different and that it is OK. I had also wondered why Miles left the MMA (for those new to Ms. Foster that is mixed martial arts fighting) and that gets explained here. Sorry, you will have to read to find out, but I will say that Miles did the right thing leaving.

I have a thing for books that have guys who act like family though there is no blood, and this is one of the series that does that. Miles' friends, both in Body Armor and in MMA, have his back, which means, in turn, have Maxi's. There are a number of times the guys, and boss lady Sahara Silver show up and a party follows, but it is also them showing their support that I enjoy. The danger that is clipping at Maxi's heels is one that the reader will not see coming as it is way off from the left field, and this author knows how to lead you off this way and that before giving you the bad guy.

If you are looking for hunks who fight for those they love, women who are feisty with good hearts, some intriguing twists to dangerous situations, but intermixed with fun, laughter and a lot of sweet and steamy loving, then get your hands on CLOSE CONTACT right now!

Annetta Sweetko, reviewer for Fresh Fiction

The complete review may be found at: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=64178

Pain, confusion, eerie darkness, silence and memory loss and that is just the first page! Lori grabs you from the first sentence into Maxi’s world and doesn’t let go until the last page. Maxi has her hands full after her Mom and Grandmother pass away and she is left with a farm full of cats and someone who is not happy she’s there. Maxi hires her ex-lover who is a retired MMA fighter turned body guard and the sparks fly, literally! Miles is super-hot, over protective and just the right type of danger Maxi needs in her current world of chaos and threats. They have everything together if only Maxi will set her heart free for Miles to guard instead of just her body!!!

Reviewed by Monique

Maxi Nevar recently inherited her grandmother’s farmhouse in small-town Ohio, and soon after she moved in, odd little things started happening. When Maxi awakens in the middle of the night outside her home, knowing full well that she hadn’t been drunk, she knows she has to do something about it. Maxi had had a “three-night stand” with former MMA fighter Miles Dartman a couple of months ago, and although they didn’t know much about each other, Maxi remembered that Miles worked as a bodyguard at the Body Armor Agency, and that’s where she went, hoping he wouldn’t be too angry that she hadn’t called after the third time, even though she would have liked to.

Lori Foster was one of the first romance authors I read, and CLOSE CONTACT reminded me that it had been far too long since I have devoured a book by Ms. Foster. Lori Foster has perfected the fine art of crafting a believable romance along with heart-pounding suspense, and vivid descriptions of the environment where the action takes place; in this case, the visuals for the farmhouse were rather priceless. Add irresistible, sexy heroes and clever, no-nonsense heroines and you have a winning combination. I loved Maxi right from the start: she is faced with a dangerous situation, she acts rationally, and I knew CLOSE CONTACT would be a great read! Miles is one of Ms. Foster’s best leading men; he is tough, logical, compassionate, and he even loves cats!

CLOSE CONTACT is such a cozy read with its sure and steady pace, fabulous banter between the MMA friends; and just great dialogues all around. I loved how Maxi and Miles’ relationship easily glided from merely sexual to more. The secondary characters are amazing in their complexity as well: Woody, Maxi’s neighbour; local cop Fletcher, and the formidable Sahara Silver, Miles’ boss at Body Armor. I adored her and you better believe that I will grab Fast Burn, the next book and Sahara’s story, as soon as it is available. Lori Foster shines brighter than ever!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

Miles and Maxi were interesting. I liked the idea that they were a previous "series of one night stands" and that there was an attraction and a reluctant trust (at least reluctant on her part) between them.

I thought this was an interesting place to start a story, with a potential stalker and a need of a bodyguard, and already knowing and trusting the person you are hiring.

There was a bit of an attachment to him that pulled the relationship forward, and I liked and thought that this part was a little off...I think I wanted them to be together before he was the reason that she was safe at home...but at the same time, I see the plot development there as Maxi would likely never have been willing to have the relationship progress without this need between them.

I did enjoy this overall. There were parts of it that felt a little formulaic, mainly the reason they were together, but it didn't really pull me out of the story all that much and I enjoyed the book.

I recommend this title.

This is the Book 3 in the Body Armor series. This is the first book in this series that I have read and I can tell you now, I will be going back and getting the first two books. What an awesome book. I have to say that Lori Foster has another hit on her hands with this one. It opens with Maxi waking up in a field, not knowing what has happened and why she’s out there. She lives on an isolated farm that her grandmother left her, along with all the cats. And now she’s scared. So what does she do? She hires her one night stand, Miles, as a bodyguard who can help her solve the mystery of all the bad things that are happening to her. We get so much in this book. There’s mystery, suspense, love and friendship. Family comes back together when you think it’s going to be torn apart. You get so much happening that you don’t want to put the book down. At least, that’s how it was with me. I kept saying one more chapter until there wasn’t any more left. This was such a great book. I can’t wait to read the stories involving the rest of the guys at the Body Armor agency. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book that I received from Net Galley.

The Body Armor Agency needs a new motto. Perhaps something on the order of “We’ll protect your body, and we’ll steal your heart.” Because this series, so far, is all wrapped in the trope of the bodyguard and his protectee falling for each other while dodging whatever is after her.

The start of Close Contact is a bit different from the other books, because MMA fighter turned bodyguard Miles Dartmann and personal shopper Maxi Nevar already know each other, in the Biblical sense, before the book begins.

That Maxi is the one who cut and run from their no-strings-attached fling still bothers Miles. A lot. And not just because he’s usually the one who leaves. It felt like they were really starting to get somewhere, and not just between the sheets, when Maxi disappeared without a trace.

But when she wakes up in the middle of the night, out in the middle of the field next to the house she inherited from her grandmother, with no recollection of how she got there, she remembers that Miles was about to start his new job as a bodyguard when they hooked up.

Because Maxi needs a bodyguard. She’s not sure who she needs guarding from, or even why, but someone keeps messing with her, her house, her stuff, and her life. At first, she chalked up the tiny incidents as misremembering or accidents, but waking up by the pond could only have happened the way it did if someone put her there.

The question is why. And for answers, she turns to Miles, his boss Sahara Silver, and Body Armor.

At first, only Sahara believes Maxi. Miles, still stinging a bit from Maxi’s rejection, is certain that there’s another jilted lover in there someplace who decided to get some payback. It’s not until he comes out to Maxi’s rather remote little farmhouse and witnesses things for himself that he finally gets on board.

And just as he does, the incidents ramp up. Whatever is happening is escalating, and Maxi still doesn’t know why.

It could have to do with her inheritance of the farmhouse and her grandmother’s surprisingly large assets. After all, her brother and sister both believe that they should have gotten a bigger share, and that Maxi should sell the property and just give it to them.

It could be her cheating ex-fiance, who suddenly seems to want her back now that she’s come into her inheritance, and won’t take no for an answer.

It could be the local law enforcement officer who seems to be waiting for Maxi to fall into his arms. A plan that is definitely thwarted by Miles’ presence in Maxi’s life – and eventually her bed.
But the longer that Miles spends with Maxi, the more of the potential suspects he is able to eliminate. And the closer that he gets to the woman who has staked out a place in his heart.

The hotter their romance gets, the more the suspense ratchets up. When the villain is finally revealed, it’s a surprise to everyone involved. Very nearly a deadly one.

Escape Rating A-: Close Contact is every bit as much fun as Hard Justice, the previous book in the series. And I absolutely loved that one.

One of the things I enjoyed about Close Contact was definitely Maxi. And not just because she feels not merely duty-bound, but actually enjoys taking care of all of her grandmother’s many, many (many) cats.

Don’t worry, she’s not a hoarder. The cats live outside, and mostly in the barn. But her grandmother loved them and Maxi cares for them – especially after one of them sticks by her the night she wakes up by the pond.

But what I really liked about Maxi was the way that she takes her life by the horns and learns to stand up for herself. She’s always felt like a bit of a failure, because she isn’t as ambitious and hard-driving as her siblings. But even though she’s used to jumping when they say jump, she still doesn’t give in or change what she believes is right, although she tries to keep the peace between them. It’s interesting watching that dynamic change over the course of the story.

Also, Maxi is right, at least about who isn’t her tormentor. Miles wants to suspect both her siblings and her ex, and they do all have reasons that foster that suspicion. But Maxi knows it isn’t them. I’m also glad it isn’t the ex, because that trope has been done to death.

And something else that was really well done was the forthright way that Miles dealt with the end of his MMA career and the reasons for that ending. I wish that the real-life NFL was half so honest about the risks of concussions and CTE.

The suspense part of this story ratchets up nicely. Or chillingly. It’s done well. The perpetrator is the person everyone least suspects, and the reasons for the whole mess are utterly tragic but at least began from a place that is easy to empathize with, even if the current results are well beyond the pale.

The romance in Close Contact is a bit fast, but it makes sense in context. They were already on their way to falling for each other when Maxi disappeared, so it makes sense that once they are forced into each other’s company, things eventually pick up where they left off. And it is right that they do.

If you like bodyguard romances, the Body Armor series is a winner. And you don’t have to read them all to get into them, but they’re fun, so why not?

We also get a chance to see hints of the next book in the series. It looks like Body Armor owner Sahara Silver may have finally met her match. And I can’t wait to read all about it in Fast Burn.

A danger and intrigue filled reunion! With the next book in her Body Armor series, Lori Foster grabs our attention with a gripping plot from page one. We go along for the danger filled ride of Miles and Maxi’s reunion. They have a super sexy connection and watching the chemistry sizzle between them is mesmerizing. Strong characters mixed in with a familiar cast of friendly faces make for a lot of fun as we trudge through the mystery to find out who is terrorizing her … and why! Looking forward to more in the series!

Miles Dartman enjoys life in the fast lane as much as the next guy. As a notable MMA champ turned bodyguard, he has no problem getting the ladies and living the good life … until he meets a woman who he actually wants more than just a casual fling with and gets rejected. He still hasn’t gotten over the sting of that when she’s all of a sudden back in his life looking for help.

Stylist Maxi Nevar finds herself in over her head when strange things start happening after an inheritance. She overlooks the small things, but when a major personal safety breach occurs, she decides she has no choice but to get some help … and the one guy she knows that is a good guy at heart happens to work at Body Armor security agency.

This a great story in the Body Armor series, when you think they can't get any better a new one comes out. It has a little mystery and romance and an Alpha male all wrapped into one, Miles is so protective of Maxi and goes to any length to keep her safe. The story flows so well and makes it hard to put down.
Lori Foster books are always amazing.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Great sexy romance, wonderful mystery plot and a touch of humor make this a good book. I really like the hot romance and mystery, but the angst and martyr and repetitiousness just kinda killed the buzz of a great romantic-suspense lite plot.

Miles and Maxi have had a steamy, sexy, no-strings attached affair and each has been happy with that, well Maxi appeared to be happy, Miles - not so much. Miles is at a point in his life where fighting just isn't enough and his relationship with Maxi, he wants more. Just as Miles seeks to deepen their relationship - Maxi disappears.

Maxi has a lot to deal with, her mother died during a procedure and shortly after, her dear grandmother falls down the stairs and dies. Her affair with Miles, such as it is, was solely to let off the pressure her siblings were heaping on her. When Maxi starts to feel connected to Miles, she splits. Her grandmother's farm is now hers, along with all her many cats and she intends to make it her home, much to the displeasure of her brother and sister who want her to sell and split the proceeds. When strange thing begin happening and Maxi wakes up after being drugged, she is terrified and goes to Body Armor and Miles for protection. Miles was none to happy with the disappearing act Maxi pulled, but the anger soon turns to lust when they are in such close surroundings. Maxi is afraid that Miles will never forgive her, but the sex is just to great not to indulge. 3 1/2 Stars

Foster delivers another great contemporary with her sexy MMA fighter series! Miles and Maxi’s story was a scrumptious delight of sexy attraction and second chances! I loved Miles’s thoughtful nature and got a kick out of Maxi’s stubbornness. I also loved the mystery twist! It provided a a nice thread of suspense that had me trying to guess who the bad guy was until the end! I am also highly anticipating Sahara and Brand’s story next! Talk about sexy...

If you’re looking for a fun, sexy read with mild suspense, definitely check this book out!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What can I say, but Lori knows how to write this genre well. From the strong male characters that make you swoon with their alpha energy. The former MMA fighters turned bodyguards are not only strong but have a deep sense of protectiveness of those they care about, which is true of Miles.

He let Maxi get away once but now that she needs his protection he isn't going to let her get away again. He finds himself at home in her inherited ranch house helping with projects around the house and caring for her numerous feral cats while keeping her protecting from threats intended to scare her into selling the land. The sparks that fly are enough to heat up the pages of the book. I couldn't read this book fast enough.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Another great read by Lori Foster. This story between Miles and Maci is filled with mystique, friendship and love. I've enjoyed how she brings the MMA family together in this Body Armor series. Looking forward to reading Brand's story.

I love all the Body Armor series books but this one is my favorite. Maxi and Miles had chemistry that was off the charts also, their banter between each other was great. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

4 and a half HUGE stars for the third book in this awesome series.
Lori Foster is a master at giving her readers characters that we can't help but fall in love with.
Close contact is the third book in Lori's Body Amor series. And just let me say...this book is by far one of the steamiest ones yet.
The chemistry between Miles and Maxi is full tilt off the charts.
I've been reading Lori for a long time and her books are always good, but there's something special about the way she put Miles and Maxi together. There's no doubt these two belong together.
Watching them both work for it though...amazing.
Of course Close Contact has cameo's of everyone we've met in a earlier series. And it was great getting to catch up with those characters. There's also lots of cats and other critters. A maybe bad guy a real bad guy and giggles to be had.
This book is packed with sweet and sexy and funny moments that will keep your eyes glued to the pages and your fingers flipping as fast as you can.
There's also a HUGE twist that even I didn't see coming.
Lori Foster just keeps.getting better with every book she writes.
Seriously though, if you're looking for a good book to get lost in, Close Contact is perfect.

3.5 Lori Foster Crafting Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free
Foster takes Miles the MMA star known as The Legend and brings him into the Body Armor Security company all of his other fighters have joined. He has settled in and was enjoying a hook up with a woman who he actually wanted more from....And then she just went Poof! into thin air...

Maxi's life has been overly complicated...dealing with the loss of her mother, than the grandmother who was quirky and special to her...passes too. To top off all of this loss... she discovers the man she thought she was marrying... cheating.

Enough is Enough...In order to release all this stress and tension, Maxi decides to do the hit and quit it deal... She meets Miles, they hit if off oh, so well... and then no one actually wanted to quit it...
They did a hit again, again and then again....
But Maxi has too much happening in her life.... she also knows it is so complicated, she doesn't feel like anyone should have to deal with all of it...so

Maxi pulls away from Miles...

She goes to handle her Grandmother's house...understands all the feral cats, house cats, whatever cats.... meant the world to that lady... she has vowed to honor the woman who loved her. But there are others who have different plans...

Things start to happen... things that just shouldn't... and finally when she cannot ignore these things happening have taken an ugly turn, becoming more dangerous, Maxi sucks it up and reaches out to Miles. She knows it will be uncomfortable... but he is the only one she trusts with this.

These two fit perfectly in this Lori Foster Mold.... People who have chemistry... heart and needs. We get a mystery, romance and the rest of the series team.

A gifted copy was provided by HQN Books via NetGalley for an honest review.

Maxi and Miles are amazing. What was supposed to be a hook up gets more involved when Maxi inherits something that brings danger into her life requiring her to solicit help from Miles in his new role at Body Armor Security. You get a little bit of everything in this book. Suspense, steam, humor and excitement. This series just keeps getting better and better.

"Close Contact" (Body Armor Book 3) by Lori Foster is a fantastic read. I loved Miles and Maxi's story! This story has passion, romance, mystery, action, close friends, drama, animal rescue, entertaining and interesting characters, and more. A wonderful addition to the Body Armor series. Another great read by Lori Foster. I can't wait to see what happens next in "Fast Burn". Highly recommend to all fans of romance, action, and series.

**I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Maxi Nevar has been spooked since she moved into her late grandmother's farmhouse, but has convinced herself the incidents were nothing. Until she wakes up outside, clearly having been drugged. That sends her to Body Armor, where she knows MMA fighter Miles Dartman now works. What was supposed to be a one night stand left Miles thinking about more- but he couldn't find Maxi until she walked into Body Armor and hired him. Now he has to juggle his attraction to her with his doubt about her crazy story, and then with trying to protect her from the mysterious threat that is becoming more violent by the day.

Close Contact is a great addition to Lori Foster's Body Armor series (Under Pressure, Hard Justice) of MMA fighters who have made the move into being elite body guards. Miles is the latest fighter to change careers and he meets his match with Maxi Nevar. After a brief, no-strings attached fling it was Maxi who walked away and Miles who found himself feeling rejected. As hurt as he feels about that he doesn't think twice about protecting her from whatever is going on at her house. Maxi tried keeping him at a distance because between the craziness in her life and her bad track record with men, she figured this was the wrong time, wrong place. But Miles is the whole package: smart, strong, brave, loyal, and incredibly good-looking. They have combustible chemistry and Maxi doesn't stand a chance at not falling in love with him. It was fun watching their good intentions (Miles at taking it slow, Maxi at keeping her emotions out of it) fly out the window. There was just enough history between the two of them that it felt like perfectly picking up an ongoing story, without feeling like we were missing any backstory or getting impossible insta-love. Foster does her usual excellent job of building a relationship based on respect and a developing friendship as well as chemistry.

There's also enough of a suspense story to keep the reader on edge and without it feeling like an afterthought. I enjoyed how Foster kept us guessing until the very end at who was responsible for the threats against Maxi- and why. While recurring characters from other books make some cameos, you don't have to have read the other books to thoroughly enjoy Close Contact. Long-time readers will enjoy seeing Leese, Armie, and the regular MMA crew pop up, as well as Foster continuing to set up Brand and Sahara's story (Fast Burn- coming March 2018!).

Close Contact is everything we've come to expect from a Lori Foster book: fast-paced writing; fun, layered characters; humor; and danger. Add in some sexy fighters and about a million cats and this book will keep you hooked! Warning: plan on reading in one sitting, because you won't be able to put Close Contact down once you start!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Storyline: 5
Angst: 2
Tissue: 0
Value: 5
Panty Scorching: 5
Over All Rating: 4.5 Stars
Kindle eArc provided by Netgalley

Maxi just came into an unexpected inheritance when her grandmother died. Not only did she receive her farm house but whole bunch of barn cats that her grandmother loved. When strange things start happening around the property, Maxi hires her former two-night stand Miles Dartman, former MMA fighter and current Body Armor bodyguard. As things heat up, will Miles be able to protect a former love interest? Who is trying to scare Maxi away from her grandmother’s home?

“He’d thought about this moment a lot, but plans disappeared under the force of overwhelming lust. Not just lust, because that he could handle. It was the gentler emotions that stole his breath, the fact that this was Maxi, that she was both vulnerable and demanding, sweet and scorching hot. She set him off like no other woman could, and he loved it, craved the wildness and the ultimate satisfaction.”

It was so confusing why Maxi tried to keep Miles at a distance. Then she suddenly pops back into his life. I definitely was kept guessing about who was behind all of the trouble at Maxi’s house. And I was so happy when all of Miles’ friends come by to help them out. When you get a bunch of MMA fighters together, you definitely have my attention. I loved getting another bodyguard’s story and let me tell you. I can’t wait for Brand and Sahara’s story next! She has been a mystery since day one of this series and I’m ready to find out what’s really going on with her brother and how did Brand and Sahara get so close?

This entire series is so addictive and fun to read. I always picture them as one big happy family and they never seem to mind adding another person to their close-knit group. Who wouldn’t want a group of friends that drop everything whenever you need their help?