This is a suspense romance, and this is the 4th book in the To Serve and Seduce series. I think the suspense part of this book was ok, but it was not great. The romance part I really enjoyed, but this romance was a slow burn one. I loved the characters and the storyline in this book. There was some twists in this book that I did not see coming. I have to say this book started out very slow moving, but the pacing picks up quickly. I was not pulled into this book from the beginning, but it pulled me in by 20% of this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Romantic Suspense) or author (Deborah Fletcher Mello) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I just couldn't get into this one and didn't want to review it unfairly. Many thanks for having me on the blog tour but this wasn't for me at all and I didn't want to put anyone else off by reviewing it negatively.

Slow moving in the beginning but eventually picks up pace. The romance works well here but the pacing of the suspense part of this story got in the way. I'm not mad at it.

Sexy, chilling and gripping from beginning to end, romantic suspense fans will not be able to resist Deborah Fletcher Mello’s latest novel, Stalked by Secrets.

Journalist Neema Kamau is willing to do whatever it takes to get to the truth. Nothing and nobody is going to stop Neema from uncovering the secrets people who stalk the corridors of power would go to any lengths to keep hidden. When she hears rumors that politician Davis Black might have links to organized crime, Neema vows to get close to him and to expose all of his shady dealings. Neema does not usually have any problems keeping her personal and professional lives separate, but then again Neema has never met a met a man as intelligent, charismatic and handsome as Davis Black…

Davis Black has got enough on his plate. He certainly does not want or need any further complications, but when fate brings Neema Kamau into his life, all of a sudden the beautiful woman becomes the only thing Davis can think about. Despite knowing that he cannot afford to take his eye off the ball, Davis finds himself intrigued by the smart, intelligent and attractive woman and when temptation proves impossible to say no to, surrendering to the overwhelming desire that sizzles between the two of them quickly proves inevitable. But just how well does Davis know Neema? Is she all that she seems or is Neema keeping a very big secret from him?

Neema never imagined that she would end up falling for Davis, but it’s not just her unexpected feelings that she has to worry about as a dangerous stalker has the two of them in their sights willing to do whatever it takes to tear them apart. Is a future together within Neema and Davis’ reach? Will Neema end up losing Davis if she confesses the truth? Or will their stalker not give her the chance to tell him how she really feels?

Deborah Fletcher Mello’s Stalked by Secrets is everything readers could possibly want from a romantic suspense novel: fabulous characters, intense emotion, red-hot chemistry and nail-biting intrigue which makes it absolutely impossible to put this book down. Neema and Davis are two wonderful characters readers will fall for and their story is guaranteed to keep readers up way past their bedtime.

An immensely enjoyable tale of danger and desire, Deborah Fletcher Mello has written another unmissable novel with Stalked by Secrets.

3.5 stars

I must admit it kinda confusing at first because apparently this is the 4th book from the series, it's like I need to read the previous books, and it's a bit slow at the beginning, but once the suspense kicks in, everything is so good...especially with that twist, I really didn't see it coming, gotta love the book that surprised you.

An enjoyable entertaining suspense romance read, that you should try.

I think this is one of those instances where I should have read the previous books in the series first, as that may have given me more of a foundation, but I did still enjoy this story. The beginning was pretty slow for my taste but once it got going it was an enjoyable read with some good twists. I would say that the suspense was on the low side of suspense, but the romance portion was good. I did feel like the setting and situations were very realistic and probably true in their depictions, and enjoyed how real that felt. I would definitely read more of this author's writing and may pick up the other books in the series to see if they do lend more to the story.

Good book with a slow burn romance and interesting suspense element. Davis Black is the youngest of the prominent Chicago family. Unlike many of his family, Davis chose civic involvement instead of joining law enforcement. Davis was recently elected alderman of his district and already had a reputation as a caring and honorable leader. Therefore, he isn't happy when his father, Jerome, the police superintendent, all but orders him to meet with Alexander Balducci, a man suspected of having ties to organized crime.

Neema is an award-winning reporter with the city paper. Her parents own a restaurant where she frequently helps out. She witnesses the meeting between Balducci and Davis and sees a suspicious exchange of what looks like cash. Neema smells a possible story and plans to get close enough to Davis to investigate her suspicions.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Davis and Neema. They met briefly the night he met with Balducci, and the sparks between them were immediate. Davis was amusing with his blatant excitement over his upcoming meeting with Neema and her father and his happiness at securing a date with her. Neema, who also feels the sparks, accepts the date with a healthy dose of skepticism and suspicion. During their dinner out, Neema finds her doubts fading as her admiration for Davis grows. As they spend more time together, Neema feels guilty about not telling him about her job. She knows she has to come clean, but finding the right time proves difficult. The longer she waits, the harder it is, and she fears that it could destroy their growing relationship. Davis is obviously smitten, and his enjoyment of her company is evident. He finds it easy to share things with her that he usually doesn't talk about and appreciates her support during some rough times. It all comes crashing down when the truth comes out. I ached for both Neema and Davis. Davis felt betrayed and doubted her feelings for him, while Neema thought all of her fears had come true. Though it took some effort and unsolicited advice from his family, I liked the ending. I especially liked the realism that it wasn't immediately all unicorns and rainbows; instead, it took time and attention to get back to where they were.

The suspense of the story was good, with a lot going on. First, there was the requested meeting with Balducci. Let me say right off that the relationship of the head of the police with a known/suspected criminal struck me as all kinds of wrong. It was explained later, but the optics were terrible. I also hated the way Jerome forced Davis into doing it. I know that Davis has a lot of respect for his father, but I would have had more respect for Davis if he'd refused. Yes, it set up the meeting with Neema, but... Then there were the attacks on Davis, one of which implicated him in a murder. Are the two events connected, or has Davis's political activities angered someone? The final confrontation was a little bit anticlimactic thanks to Davis's dog but satisfying nonetheless. I did not see the twists that went along with that event coming. The book ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, leading into the next book.

I liked seeing the other members of Davis's family and how close they all are. I especially liked how his siblings immediately came to him when he asked for their help. My only exceptions were Davis's father, as previously mentioned, and his sister Simone. In the previous book, Reunited by the Badge, I noted her tendency toward the melodramatic. In this book, she takes it too far in a vicious confrontation with Neema.

Stalked by Secrets is entertaining romantic suspense. The pacing keeps things moving along, and the characters are interesting - not necessarily all likable, but certainly interesting. Neema and Davis are likable and they have good chemistry, so it's pretty easy to get in line with the romance. The suspense is also good with plenty of secrets to keep me turning the pages. I didn't realize that this was part of a series until after I picked it up, but it does stand alone, so I didn't have any problem following the story. I will say now that I've met the Black family, I definitely want to go back and check out the earlier books. This is also my first time checking out Deborah Fletcher Mello, and I like what she does with the genre, so I'll be watching to see what she does next.

Deborah Fletcher Mello always delivers a great read, and Stalked by Secrets is no different. I featured the book as Book of the Day on my Black Fiction Addiction social media platforms, and I interviewed the author for my blog.

Neema is a journalist who is looking into a Politian Davis for maybe having some ties to come crimals. What she finds out is more then she ever thought she would get.

I enjoyed this book. There was plenty going on to keep me hooked. With the death, romance, and family drama there was plety to keep any readers interested. Highly Recommend!

This is the fourth book of the Harlequin Romantic Suspense: To Serve and Seduce Series where it tells the story of Chicago Alderman Davis Black, he is one of the Black Siblings feature in their own books.
When Davis is asked by his Dad to meet with mob boss of the Balducci family, Davis doesn’t want to being that he is a honest politician and doesn’t want to be seen or connected to anyone that can tarnish his political career. To honor his father Davis agrees to meet with Balducci at this African food restaurant, which is owned by Neema Kamau’s parents. Neema is a journalist that also helps her parents in their restaurant when she is not out working on a story for her newspaper job. So when Neema sees Davis meeting with Balducci she feels that there is a story she can write the Davis could be a corrupt politician after witnessing what looks like Davis is taking bribe money.
Davis is immediately attracted to Neema and asks her out. Neema finds Davis attractive but she decides to get to know him so she can write a story that would be a good newspaper article for her to boost her career.
The characters were well developed and I loved how the author incorporated the characters from the previous books into the storyline so you don’t feel lost. There is drama, romance, murder, suspense, plot twist and turns that made this a real page-turner and left me wanting to read more. In the meantime I will go back and read the first three books in this series to learn more about Davis’s other siblings. I would love if the author decides to write the backstory of Davis’s mother and father.
I highly recommend this book to read and each book can be read as a stand-alone.
Cassandra H.
I voluntarily received a arc from Netgalley and this review is of my honest opinion and thoughts.

We Are Family

As I enter the world of the Black family for the fourth time I am thoroughly in awe, this story centers around baby boy Davis Black. Will the secrets destroy him, or just knock him down a peg? Can the secrets demolish his newfound love? Enjoyed revisiting the parents and other siblings. This story had humor and highly emotional moments. A home run for Deborah Fletcher Mello, I look forward to another story in the To Serve and Seduce Series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you NetGalley.


#Cillasbookmaniace #Mamatoni #Netgalley #

An engaging,, slow burn romantic suspense centering around the joys and frustrations of family, and examining our responsibility to always tell the truth--and when we're obligated to keep someone else's secrets.

There's something about seeing the Harlequin logo that has me one-clicking, ready to indulge in a great romance. And this author definitely brought me that. This story really got to me. This was hot!

Prolific author Deborah Fletcher Mello has penned a doozy of a story where secrets abound. It is ironic that the keepers of many of these secrets are members of the prominent Black family of Chicago who are associated with the law in various capacities. They range from a police superintendent, a federal court judge to policemen, attorneys, and a civic leader. This story features Davis Black, city alderman and Neema Kamau, an ambitious journalist.
I enjoyed STALKED BY SECRETS, and I recommend it. I also recommend that you read the other books in this series and get to know the other Black siblings. They are SEDUCED BY THE BADGE, TEMPTED BY THE BADGE, and REUNITED BY THE BADGE. They are all good reads. You can thank me later.