This romantic suspense's strength was that the external suspense plot seemed fairly well paced... mostly. The weaknesses were that the characters and the writing suffered in many places in a way that I can't necessarily clearly pinpoint. I tried to figure out how to put it into words, but so far all I've got is that something felt off to me. I do not recommend.

The plot itself is that Simone's father was murdered, rather senselessly, and FBI Agent Brad has to keep her safe because after breaking protocol, Simone winds up the target of the accused murderer's father. They hole up in a cabin in the middle of nowhere and eventually give into the attraction between them. The romance was frankly not believable on top of all the other issues I had with the overall writing and choices the book made.

At the beginning of this series, Simone Colton's father and uncle were murdered. Simone, a psychology professor, deals with her grief by trying to profile his killer. As this book opens, she faces the knowledge that all of her conclusions had been wrong. In the previous book, <I>Hidden Target,</i> the killers were identified and one captured. Simone still feels a burning need to be involved and eventually talks the FBI agent into letting her help a little.

Brad understands Simone's need but hesitates over her involvement. He finally gives in and allows her to watch video interviews with the suspect in custody. She surprises and impresses him with her insight into the suspect's attitude and behavior. I liked how Brad's respect motivated him to use her suggestions.

I liked watching the relationship develop between Simone and Brad. Sparks of attraction were present from the time they met, though both tried to ignore them. Simone recently ended a relationship and planned to wait before getting involved again. Brad mostly gave up on the idea of marriage because past relationships haven't handled his job well. After discouraging Simone's involvement in the case for so long, it was fun to see Brad succumb to her pleas. Time spent together became exercises in self-control as the attraction grew stronger.

When Simone falls afoul of the suspect's father, it arouses Brad's protective instincts. After several threats and an attack on her life, Brad decides the only recourse is to take Simone away from Chicago completely. I loved their time together in the cabin, as close quarters and no distractions gave them a chance to get to know each other. Both struggled to maintain their distance in the face of strengthening attraction and unexpected emotions. The river scene brought those emotions roaring to the surface along with the desire to celebrate being alive, though Brad later felt guilty for "taking advantage" of Simone's vulnerability.

Meanwhile, the suspect still at large receives help from his buddy's father, enabling him to evade capture. Determined to escape, Leo takes steps to end the threat that Brad and Simone pose. The tension increases as Leo waits for his chance, and Brad and Simone have no idea the danger is so close. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat as I watched Brad go after Leo, followed by Simone, who couldn't remain behind when worried about his safety. The resolution was a nail-biter with Brad's life at risk.

I ached for both Brad and Simone when it was all over. Brad allows his fears to push Simone away, leaving her with a broken heart. Simone struggles to move on while putting on a brave face for her family. I loved the conclusion as Brad puts his well-earned misery behind him and goes after what he wants. The depth of his emotions as he faced the woman he loved was the perfect ending.

There was one thread from the story arc left hanging - the claim on the Colton business. I don't know if this is just something that fell through the cracks of a multi-author series or if it will show up later through a different set of Coltons. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Simone is a profiler and is on a mission to put some murderers behind bars for some closure thing is while one is behind bars the other is doing a pretty good job evading any links that could put him in jail as well. Agent Brad is on the case and when it becomes clear that Simone is in danger from the killer she's trying to catch he'll do everything to protect her.

If you love short mystery suspense novels with a bit of romance you'll like this book. I enjoyed following along as they work on the case and finally get some closure for Simone. Brad knows what it feels to have lost someone in a terrible way and wants to help others. Overall this was a pretty good book I really enjoyed it .

This is a Romantic Suspense, and this is the 6st book in the Colton 911: Chicago Book Series. This is a fast pace that has a lot of suspense and action. I really enjoyed reading this book, and the characters really popped off the page. The romance was not the best. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Romantic Suspense) or author (Carla Cassidy) 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. This book is schedule to be release on June 29-2021.

Good book! This is book six in this series but the first book I've read! Ill definitely read more! This is Brad and Simone book, Brad is a special agent and Simone is a psychology professor! Simone father is brutally murdered and she wants the killers found ! Brad is on the case and just wants Simone to stay away as he feels she'll just put herself in danger! This book was filled with suspense, intrigue, action and a little steam! The storyline was very interesting! This book is well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!