Continuing on with the storyline from the last book Noelle and Thomas (the Dragon) are on their way to investigate who hired the assassin, Jack of Hearts to destroy the EOD. I was excited to read this one - I liked Noelle and Thomas from the last few books and I was interested to learn more about their mysterious past together.

And this delivered. I enjoyed the fast action packed pace and the romantic elements that were weaved through it. The tension was good and had me flipping pages to find out what was going to happen next. I liked the crossover into Noelle's past (as an abductee) and Thomas' role with that. He was on a mission when he came across an abducted Noelle and rescued her. The guilty party was kind of obvious but I enjoyed how it was explained and how the explanation unfolded. Strong end to the series, 4 stars. ( )

Fantastic conclusion to the Guts and Glory quartet. Noelle is an FBI profiler who is currently working for the EOD. The victim of a violent crime herself, she has found a true calling in helping catch killers. Currently she's been assigned to work with Thomas, investigating a man suspected of ordering the bombing of the EOD building (see Evidence of Passion).

Something about Thomas bothers her. He's one of the few people she's never been able to read. He has an amazing amount of control over his emotions. In spite of the dangerous vibes she gets from him, she always feels safe around him, something that rarely happens with anyone else. And she frequently gets the feeling she knows him from somewhere else, but she can't be sure.

Years before, Thomas had stumbled on Noelle while he was working on another mission. While he was involved in her rescue, he couldn't stick around because it would break his cover. But there was something about that seventeen year old girl that made an impression on a man with far too much violence in his life. After that he made it his business to check up on her frequently, making sure she was alright. He always stayed in the background, never making contact with her. Now that they're working together, he really wants to tell her the truth.

I loved the connection between Noelle and Thomas. They tried to fight their attraction at first because of working together, but it was just too hard to resist. Thomas had been falling for Noelle for years, ever since the day he helped rescue her, but had never realized what he was feeling. Because of all the things he's had to do over the years he feels that she could never love him. Noelle's is a survivor. She was determined that her ordeal would not keep her from having a normal life, but it has caused her to be very wary of men. Except for Thomas. And as she gets closer to him while they are working their case, he is there for her when danger threatens. When her memories start to come back she insists that Thomas tell her the whole truth. After she gets over the shock, that connection with him stays strong. I love how she overcomes his concerns about his past at the end and shines light into his darkness.

The suspense of the story was gripping. The investigation into the senator, who was suspected of being involved in the bombing, revealed an unexpected connection to Noelle's kidnapping. Now there's a killer stalking Noelle and leaving a trail of bodies behind him and he does so. Thomas and Noelle are in a race to figure out who he is and stop him before he can get to Noelle. There are several times when it could go either way and I was constantly on the edge of my seat. There were several twists and turns to keep me guessing right to the very end. ( )

Contemporary, Romantic Suspense

Alaska

Noelle Evers was kidnapped fifteen years ago. After two days her abductor was dead and she was left with no memory of what actually happened. Now she is an FBI profiler and she uses her past to get into the minds of killers. The one that she can’t seem to read is her new partner. Thomas Anthony is an EOD agent that is controlled, dangerous and hauntingly familiar.

Thomas has been covertly watching Noelle’s back for a very long time. He wanted to tell her the truth but to do that would have compromised his mission and blown his cover. With their latest mission a link to her past has been revealed. Now is the time for Thomas to step out of the shadows especially with the desire that is between them and a predator that is hunting Noelle. If he doesn’t he is going to lose the second chance he has to save the only woman he has ever loved.

This is a great addition to a series that is proving to be very addictive. The characters are well written and they bring the story to life for the reader. It is also a nice way to revisit a world that is full of action and suspense. This is fast proving to be a series for the keeper shelves. While the stories can be read as standalone books they are much better as a whole when the full series is read. The story also takes some great twists and turns and will have readers wondering just what could possibly happen next and they won’t be disappointed with the next twist that comes at them. ( )