London Calling was a suspenseful and riveting story reminiscent of a Mission Impossible type movie. It was fast-paced, intense and full of action sequences. Macknight and Emma had great banter and a great storyline but I just could not feel their connection to one another as their physical chemistry was somewhat lacking.

I am absolutely in love with slow-burn romances and tons of build up but this romance fell flat for me as it was a fantastic suspense novel (an emphasis more on suspense than anything) with very little romance, sexual tension or chemistry. I have nothing against clean romances because those have more of an emphasis on slow-build/fade to black scenes. But this story seemed like a suspense story with a lackluster romance thrown in with lukewarm kisses and a random half-hearted declaration of love to tie the story together. 

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. 3.5 stars! ~Ratula

I haven’t read much romantic suspense lately, but I’ve been meaning to change that, and the plot of London Calling sounded pretty interesting. Espionage? Kremlin shenanigans? London? Great.

Veronica Forand has a knack for writing suspense stories, and – honestly – it’s a hard genre to get right. Getting those action scenes you have in your head onto the page so they read the way you’ve imagined them is SO much harder than it seems, but Forand can do it.

The author has also done some good research. Some authors in the genre don’t bother with all the little details, and write about their settings and the government agencies their characters deal with in very bland terms, but that’s not the case with this book. The details are there, and a look at the author’s blog tells me she takes her research seriously.

However, I feel the need to do a bit of nitpicking: WHY do all the British characters speak in perfect American English? It’s the basic stuff that’s wrong: vacation instead of holiday, asshole instead of arsehole, windshield instead of windscreen, cookies instead of biscuits, pants instead of trousers. And “buddy” is a term of endearment I’ve only ever heard in North America.

This is just British English #101, and I feel like an editor should have noticed if the author did not.

However, I’ll forgive her the mix-up with Eastern European naming customs (different gender; different surname), as it wasn’t a major thing in the book.

That aside, I’m always happy to dip back into the romantic suspense genre to find someone who knows how to write their action and adventure, and this was an original plotline borrowing from present-day events – exactly the sort of suspense I want to read.

Loved this book! Emma, a small town cop in the states, rushes to England to tend to her dad after a call luring her there. Once she arrives, against her will, she is placed in the custody of MI6. Macknight is the team leader and he doesn't trust her and isn't answering her questions. Each time she tries to get away, something else even more dangerous occurs. Macknight isn't above using a bit of romance to keep Emma contained and cooperative, but what happens when he falls a bit for his own act?

I thoroughly enjoyed the fast paced action in this novel and loved the push/pull between Emma and Macknight. I felt invested in the characters, especially Emma's, as the small town girl suddenly pulled into something she didn't understand. When paired with Macknight, an engaging "alphahole", the sparks fly.

If you enjoy the genre, you will love this book. I couldn't put this one down and it should be at the top of your TBR list. The author is on my must read authors' list.

When small town cop Emma Ross is flown in from New Hampshire to London when her father is reported missing from the M16, she is held hostage against her will until they can confirm his whereabouts. Under the protection by the overbearing Scotsman Liam Macknight, a whirlwind action-packed adventure ensues. The question is would they be able to trust each long enough to rescue her father? Or would they fall apart before they ever start?

Needless to say, holy mackerel! This was not what I was expecting when I picked up this series. Page after page is a real action-packed edge-of-the-seat suspense romance novel I seriously couldn’t put it down until I found out what happened to Emma and Liam relationship, the whereabouts of Emma’s father and their partner in crime Owen. It’s hard to come across strong, independent female characters in suspense romances. Either they tend to be winey and childish or a little too badass for me that it becomes too unrealistic. The brunette beauty was a perfect blend of everything in between and like a puzzle piece, fit perfectly alongside Liam. The characters are well drawn and there wasn't one I disliked (for once), the writing style was perfection, and the premise captivating.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love spy romances, the thrill and the adventure hightens the anticipation of possible passionate love. Although Emma is an incredibly talented and strong heroine, I felt the author didn't allow us to truly see her potential as Liams equal. I felt she softened too much when he was around and he was too busy protecting her and keeping his distance to really appreciate her skills.
Despite this the story was entertaining.