Drew Kiley married his brother’s wife Alyssa after his irresponsible younger brother, Doug, died in an accident. Doug left Alyssa and their young son, Luke, broke and alone and Alyssa ended up sick in the hospital, so Drew stepped up to the plate to provide for Alyssa and Luke and take care of them, but it would be a marriage in name only. Along the way, Alyssa starts getting threats to her and Luke when Doug’s partner in crime gets out of prison demanding the money that he says is rightly his, that he stole in a robbery with Doug. Luckily the wonderful dog, Cutter, comes to the rescue, getting his owners who run the Foxworth Foundation on the case to help Alyssa, Drew, and Luke.

This was another enjoyable Cutter’s Code story with the wonderful, perceptive dog Cutter, who appears to know so much more than the humans do. Cutter was featured prominently in the story, and I loved every second he was on the page. Drew made a terrific hero, he was such a good guy who always kept his word and he loved and treated his nephew, Luke, like his own son. Drew ended up falling in love with Alyssa along the way, which was never a part of the plan. Alyssa tended to drive me nuts at times, with her endless rose-colored view of Doug which she never wanted to let go of. Doug was irresponsible, committed crimes and wasn’t all that great, and I couldn’t understand why Alyssa always defended him when she had such a wonderful guy like Drew right in front of her. Quinn and Haley, of the Foxworth Foundation (from the first Cutter’s Code book) were also featured very prominently in this one, as were their team members Liam, Rafe, and Teague. And I also really liked young Luke, he was an adorable little boy. The book tended towards being talky over suspenseful, with the action coming more in the last fourth of the story, but overall, it was still a very entertaining read with the always fabulous Cutter. ( )

I really liked Drew, the hero of Justine Davis's Operation Unleashed. Of course, I love Cutter. He's a great dog and I'm always wondering what he'll do next. But back to Drew, he was so sweet. Strong, alpha, sexy and he loves the heroine so much. I finished reading with a happy sigh. As always, Justine Davis delivers a wonderful romantic suspense. ( )

Another fantastic Cutter story. Cutter the dog drags his owners, Quinn and Haley, into the life of a little boy named Luke. His parents aren't getting along, and while it's not the kind of case that Foxworth normally gets involved in, Cutter isn't giving them any choice.

Drew and Alyssa had married three years earlier, after the death of her husband who was also Drew's younger brother. He and Alyssa had eloped when she was seventeen, and their life hadn't been a good one. Alyssa had adored Doug, but he died while committing a robbery, leaving her and Luke alone and broke. Drew found them while Alyssa was in the hospital and married her to provide for her and Luke.

Drew was the older brother, serious and responsible. Doug had been the spoiled younger son, skilled at using charm and manipulation to get his way. Drew had resented Doug for years because he was always stuck cleaning up Doug's messes. Even after Doug's death, all he can see is the terrible things Doug did. He was determined to be the best father he could be to his nephew, but dealing with Alyssa's perpetually rosy memories of Doug was driving him nuts. Their marriage had started out as a purely business arrangement, but over the last year Drew's feelings have changed. He is in love with Alyssa, but can't see her ever returning his feelings.

Alyssa is very grateful to Drew for everything he has done for her and Luke. Her life with Doug hadn't been great, but she had loved him and knew that he loved her too. She refuses to believe all the things that Drew says about Doug, preferring the things that Doug had told her. The constant strain of the two opposing viewpoints creates a lot of stress between the two of them, but she tries to let it go. Drew is such a good father to Luke that she can forgive a lot of things.

Cutter's arrival, leading Luke back home after he ran away, brings a new element into their lives. Quinn and Haley offer to help Drew and Alyssa get the full truth about Doug and his activities so that they can lay their conflict to rest. Just as that process starts, Alyssa receives threats from Doug's former partner in crime, who has just been released from prison. He wants the money from the last robbery which he is sure that Alyssa has. Suddenly Foxworth's involvement goes from research to protection.

I loved seeing the way that Drew and Alyssa are mostly able to put their differences aside when it comes to doing what is best for Luke. The danger that they are now in changes the dynamics of their relationship. Alyssa starts seeing Drew as more than just her partner, but as a man who will do anything to protect them. As more information comes out about Doug, she begins to let go of the idealized vision of him and seeing him for the flawed man that he was. She also begins to discover that her feelings for Drew have changed and she's not sure what to do about it. She doesn't want to make him regret what he has done for them, but she really wants a chance to make it real. I was happy to see Alyssa finally start to move toward a real relationship with Drew. It was easy to see how much he cared for her and she was so blind to it for so long. It was fun to watch them react to Cutter's attempts to get them together.

I always love Cutter's role in the books. He has his way of doing things and no human is going to interfere with it. In this one he is protector and companion for Luke. I loved the way he could go from playtime to attack dog in the blink of an eye. He also did a great job as marriage counselor for Drew and Alyssa, practically forcing them to talk to each other. It's always fun to see people go from disbelief to acceptance as they get to know him and see him in action.

I really enjoyed the suspense part of the story. It wasn't particularly intense until the very end, but it was a good vehicle to get Drew and Alyssa working together. I always like seeing the Foxworth people do their thing and this was no exception. I liked catching up with people from earlier books and trying to figure out who will be next. I have a feeling that Rafe's will be the next story and have a sneaking suspicion of who will be his love interest. ( )