Battle Tested

Oh man this story pulled me in right from the beginning and never let me go. Intense every step of the way. I can’t praise this one enough!!
Rosalyn and Steve were both exceptional main characters. And it didn’t take long before I began caring about both of them. Even when Steve did a few bonehead things because he wasn’t sure that he could fully trust Rosalyn. And when she begin to share what her stalker had been doing? He found it almost too outrageous to believe. With very little physical proof, she was thinking he would just be someone else who didn’t believe her at all.

The Watcher (as she had dubbed him) was diabolical in his cleverness. And no matter what she did, he always found her, leaving very little evidence of his tormenting ways. There was plenty of twists and turns that just kept pulling surprise after surprise out of the hat. It was edge of the seat reading. Never knowing what was going to happen next. It left me wondering, how in the world were they going to catch this guy?!

Steve’s special unit was compromised of interesting people who added to the story. Not only skilled “employees” but many good friends as well.

The story comes to a dramatic ending with a H.E.A. I applaud the author!

Another entry into the “why did I start this at 10 pm?” category. Started reading this book and couldn’t put it down until I finished it at 3 am. The tension began right from the first page as Rosalyn deals with the mental and physical exhaustion created by being constantly watched. She is about at the end of her rope, ready to call a permanent halt to the torment.

Steve is taking the first vacation he’s had in years. After the death of his wife twelve years earlier he has devoted his life to his career, most recently as head of Omega Sector’s Critical Response Division. The last few months have been especially stressful and he’s enjoying the luxury of no responsibilities. He’s also intrigued by the young woman who just walked into the beach bar.

I loved the protectiveness that Steve has for Rosalyn from the moment they met. His first impression of her, after her beauty, was that she was trouble. He couldn’t stop watching her, even though she wasn’t his problem. He was doing well until a couple of guys started pestering her and he could see her discomfort when they wouldn’t leave her alone. Then “He hadn’t become the director of one of the most elite law enforcement groups in the country by walking away from trouble.” I loved how it just took a few words to resolve the problem. I really liked the instant connection they had, shown by their long conversation on the beach. It was sweet to see how surprised Steve was by how easy it was to talk to her. One thing led to another and passion took over. Then, in the middle of the night, another note from the Watcher appeared. Horrified by the threat to Steve, Rosalyn took off without a word to Steve.

I ached so much for Steve, who came back from his vacation feeling betrayed and used. He also couldn’t stop thinking about her, still certain that she was in trouble. I loved seeing him get “profiled” by Brandon, who was scary accurate at diagnosing Steve’s problem. The news from Pensacola of an unidentified body that looked like Rosalyn sent him zooming back to Florida. After identifying the body, Steve is shocked when he runs into a very much alive – and pregnant – Rosalyn. After hearing her story, Steve isn’t sure whether or not to believe her until an attempt is made to run them both over. He can’t deny that something is going on and is determined to protect both Rosalyn and the baby.

I enjoyed the development of their relationship, but there were several times when I thought that Steve was a major jerk. After learning the details of what has been happening to her, he’s still not sure whether he can trust her. Rosalyn doesn’t have that problem, and for the first time in more than a year feels safe. The attraction between them burns hotter and hotter, which creates some problems for Steve. He wants her, but he’s also super-protective, not wanting to take advantage of her when she’s vulnerable. I loved when she called him on it, as “idiot” was accurate in more ways than one. Steve’s years in law enforcement have left him pretty cynical, and he tends to see the worst in people. He makes several terrible mistakes with her, and one in particular was heartbreaking. I hated the way he treated her and cried for Rosalyn and the way it hurt her. His remorse and guilty feelings were well earned, though I thought that Rosalyn forgave him a little too easily. I was glad when he finally got his head out of his butt. The ending was pretty sweet, and I liked his scene on the beach.

The suspense was incredible. To have a stalker like that, one whose actions don’t appear threatening so that the police don’t take it seriously, would be terrifying. It was bad enough before, but the escalation of the Watcher’s actions after Rosalyn and Steve were reunited, kept me glued to the pages. Every time it looked like they had finally escaped the net, he would pop up again with a note, an attack, or both. I loved seeing the entire Omega team work together to figure out how it was happening. I must admit that I figured out the basics of it by the second time Rosalyn entered the Omega building, but the details had some interesting twists. I loved Rosalyn’s courage and determination to help draw him out. The final confrontation was intense, with the race against time to find Rosalyn and the Watcher before it was too late. I absolutely loved the way it went down, showing how much Steve loved Rosalyn, and also how much his team cared about Steve.