I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. It has obviously been sitting on my shelf for a while which is a shame because as soon as I started to read it I was into it. I love the dynamic between Sam and Nick. They had an immediate chemistry that oozed off the pages. And the mystery was definitely top notch. I had no idea who really killed the Senator and that is so unusual for me when I read a mystery. It may have taken me a long time to read this one, but I will definitely be continuing the series. A+ entertainment!

Fatal Affair by Marie Force starts her Fatal series off with a bang! Well really more like a stabbing, but well you know what I mean. U.S. Senator John O'Connor is found brutally murdered in his own home by his chief of staff and best friend Nick Cappuano. The Washing, D.C. Metro Police are called and Sergeant Detective Sam Holland is assigned to the case. Sam is in desperate need of a successful investigation to salvage her career and is determined to hunt down the Senator's killer. Things get a bit complicated when she teams up with Nick since they have some history.

I loved the chemistry between Sam and Nick. They share more than that though like mutual respect, and they genuinely care about each other. There is quite a bit of tension between the two over some unfinished business of the personal nature from their shared past. Their relationship is wrought with emotional angst, sexual tension, and stress over the case. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the plot line. I had no clue who the killer was up until the end. Every time I thought I had it figured out another clue would be revealed that would lead the investigation in another direction.

Fatal Affair was a fun and easy read. It has romance, political intrigue, scandals, and murder. The suspense and action-driven plot line made this a very quick and entertaining read. My only issue was how the case was solved in the end. Other than those few pages at the end, I thoroughly loved this book. I would recommend this to anyone that is looking for a thrilling and intense read with a mix of romance and mystery.

**I received this book for free from Carina Press in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

Another great book by Marie force! I love all her books! 4 stars!

This was a great start to this series. The romantic suspense kept me interested throughout the book. I really liked Sam and Nick's chemistry. Something about them made you feel how real their relationship between them but also enjoyed the mystery part of the book. No matter how much you tried to think of who is could have been, a wrench was thrown in to the story and then you had to start again to figure out who commented the crime. This was an entertaining suspense. I can't wait to get started on the next book so I can see how Sam and Nick's chemistry progress but also how Sam progress in her job and through the series.

I’m excited to kickoff the blog tour for Marie Force’s Fatal Series to celebrate the July 26 release of the Fatal Identity. Since this author and series are new to me, I’m reviewing the first book Fatal Affair, where we first meet Washington D.C. police detective Samantha Holland as she responds to the murder of a young, popular, and wealthy senator. A surprising blast from her early days as a cop past discovered his boss’ body, and the senator’s chief of staff Nick Cappuano is equally shocked to find Sam investigating the death of his best friend and employer. This meeting sets off a book long flirtation with each other and danger as they work together to find the killer–and try to stay alive themselves.

Binge-worthy summer image

A Hard-Nosed Detective That Desperately Needs a Win…

Sam has had a rough few months as a detective, especially after a take down of a drug dealer went sideways and his young son was gunned down during the sting. With that story making headlines as it’s going to trial, Sam’s just going back into the field again with the senator’s homicide investigation. Her life is solely focused on her work, trying to make lieutenant despite her dyslexia, and taking care of her paralyzed father, who was one of her bosses until he was shot in the line of duty a few years ago. She doesn’t have much else going on since she divorced her controlling ex-husband who couldn’t understand why she’d want to put herself in danger every day or care for a father who can’t do things for himself any more. But she doesn’t let her lack of a social life get her too down since the criminal element keeps her so busy, but that all changes as soon as she sees Nick again. Then she remembers their encounter six years ago–the single night they shared was amazing, from the conversation and the connection all the way to the mind-blowing sex. But then he never called…

A Smart, Hardworking Political Advisor Who’s Lost His Best Friend…

Nick Cappuano has made a name for himself as a savvy political worker, and he’s been the chief of staff for his best friend, Senator John O’Connor throughout his first term. When Nick discovers John’s body after the senator didn’t respond to wake up calls, he knew his life would change–but he didn’t know he’d see the one that got away in the flesh as the detective investigating his friend’s murder. Nick can’t let Sam go this time, and even though she tries to keep him at arm’s length since he’s a person of interest in the investigation, the attraction is still there after all these years. Nick knows that he needs to use all of his intelligence and his resources to help Sam find the killer–so maybe they can begin their life together. And when they do get together, it’s quite steamy.

A Saintly Senator Who Has A Hidden Dark Side…

Senator John O’Connor seemed to have it all: looks, wealth, a seat on the Senate thanks to his former-Senator father’s name recognition. But on the eve of his historic immigration bill’s vote, he turns up murdered in his own bed, and Sam starts digging into the life of someone who appeared squeaky clean to the public–and even those who worked for him and thought they knew him well. For a character who never shows up in the book alive, you get a great sense of who he really was as a person. I really loved how realistically and gritty the dead senator’s life was portrayed. The O’Connor family drama was interesting and the each character in the family were definitely sketchy and unique in their own ways.

I give Fatal Affair a four out of five. This book started out with a bang and continued on at a furious pace throughout most of the book. The Washington D.C. setting was described in decent detail, so even if you haven’t been there you can picture the places and sights. Sam and Nick’s relationship developed so fast and without much explanation, but there is a prequel that was included at the end of the rerelease of Fatal Affair called One Night With You that chronicles how they met and clicked very fast. I really loved a lot of the secondary characters, especially Sam’s father and sisters, and Sam’s partner Freddie. I can’t wait to catch up with everyone in the next book, Fatal Justice. I seriously enjoyed this book even though the ending was a bit rushed and the murder was solved very fast. I’m glad that I’m a bit late to this series since I have 10 books total to enjoy with the release of Fatal Identity on July 26, 2016.