Sunday, October 4, 2020

Hostile Pursuit - Juno Rushdan (HI # 1921 - Apr 2020)

Series: Hard Core Justice Thriller (Book 1)

When ruthless killers target them,

even a safe house isn't safe.

Only twenty-four hours remain until marshal Nick McKenna's informant, Lori Carpenter, will testify against a powerful drug cartel. Nick has kept her safe for an entire year, but now all hell is breaking loose. With a team of cold-blooded assassins closing in, the by-the-book lawman decides to go rogue. He'll risk his life for duty…and put it all on the line for his irresistible witness.

Good book that started with a rush and remained intense until the end. Lori has been in WITSEC for a year, waiting to testify against a drug cartel. Marshal Nick McKenna and his partner Ted kept her safe the entire time. With only twenty-four hours to go, a team of killers, led by one very determined assassin, is committed to stopping her from testifying. After two attempts in as many hours, Nick and Lori go on the run.

I liked both Nick and Lori. I liked that they had a year of getting to know each other. For the entire year that she was under protection, their relationship was strictly professional. They became friends, watching movies, talking, cooking together, but resisted the obvious attraction between them. After the trial, Lori would go into Witness Protection, and they would never see each other again. It wasn't until the heightened emotions of their flight from danger that cracks appeared in their control. There are some sweet moments together, where their love is evident. There is also a bump in their road when Nick learns the full details of Lori's past. He doesn't take it well, and I was disappointed by his judgmental attitude, especially when he didn't let her explain. There was a great scene where they ended up at his family's home, and his mother adjusts Nick's attitude. The ending was terrific, and I loved the epilogue.

The suspense of the story was fantastic. It was twenty-four hours of roller-coaster action. The first attack was filled with danger from many different directions, some of them unexpected. The attack at the safe house roused Nick's suspicions, which were reinforced by their next bout of trouble and the assassin who stayed hot on their heels. Nick decided to "go dark," cutting off all communication with his boss for fear of being compromised again. I loved Nick's call for his brother's help and the plans made for the next day. Lori's arrival at the marshals building the next day was full of unexpected twists and revelations. I was on the edge of my seat until it was all over.

An unusual aspect of this book was the woman assassin, Belladonna. She was intense and unrelenting in her pursuit of Lori. I liked the book's parts that were told from her perspective, and I slowly developed a bit of sympathy for her. The final scene with her was intense and had an unexpected outcome.



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