I read an ARC of the first book of this series a few months back and loved it so much that I couldn't wait to get my hands on book number two. I purchased that one and liked it though not as much as I liked book number one. When an ARC for this book came up, I wasn't sure which side of the fence it would fall on. And to be honest, i didn't have high hopes for it at first.

Max was a secondary but important character in the first two books, and even though it had been a while since I read them, I remembered enough about him to be glad that he was a protagonist here. Alicia's father, General Stone, was also in the previous two books, but i'm pretty sure no mention was made of her. However, at the start of this book, it felt like we were plopped down in the middle of a story already being told, and that threw me off for a little bit. However, once Max and Ali set off to the village, things definitely picked up speed, and by the time I was nearing the end, I couldn't put the book down.

I think perhaps one of the coolest parts of this book is the role reversal, with Ali being just one penis short of special forces soldier and Max the doctor needing a bodyguard. He's also somewhat clumsy with a gun and combat, though Rowe is quick to insert a reason to reassure the reader that all is not exactly what it seems. (Because while a romance novel, the heroine can be badass, the hero has to be one as well.)

Content warnings: The topic of bio weapons is what marks this series, and after Covid, an infectious disease plot can be really scary. Rowe does nothing to alleviate your fears—take that as either praise or warning as you will. The fact that this country is going through really frightening political times may be separate from this book, but it does add another element to the reading experience. Again, take that as you will. Aside from that, just like with the other novels, don't get too attached to secondary characters.

I'm not sure if there are more books to this series or if this is the last one and I'm pretty sure all three are rewrites from books published several years back. If there are more coming, I'm definitely ready to read them, and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up any other book by this author in the future.

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!

The third installment in the Biological Rapid Response Team series. Now we focus on Colonel Robert Maxmillian and his team dealing with death threats, biological weapons, and local insurgents. Special Forces consultant Alicia Stone is assigned as his bodyguard and instructor, she also happens to be the General's daughter. Max is primarily a doctor and researcher, being a soldier is secondary, his marksmanship and fighting skills are nearly non-existent. Luckily Stone excels in these areas and begins to realise there's something holding Max back from his potential. They are thrown in at the deep end during a mission where they must uncover the cause of a virus in a remote Iraq refugee camp with very few resources. This is a romance with a twist of danger.