A prison break
is a job for Tactical Crime Division's K-9 unit.
When K-9 handler Serena Lopez discovers her half-brother's
a fugitive from justice, she must find him -- and his dangerous crew. It's a
good thing that her partner is infuriatingly efficient and handsome lead agent
Axel Morrow. But as smart and cunning as the duo may be, it's a race against
time to catch the armed and dangerous criminals before they kill again.
Good mix of intense suspense and a long-building romance.
K-9 handler Serena Lopez gets a shock when the Tactical Crime Division's latest
case hits close to home. They must track down a trio of escaped prisoners, one
of whom is her half-brother. Her partner for this op is the frustratingly calm
and efficient Axel Morrow.
In the series's earlier books, I felt a certain amount of
tension between Serena and Axel. That tension becomes more evident in this book
as they work together to track the escapees. Serena is well aware of the effect
Axel has on her, but a previous workplace relationship turned out badly, so she
is wary of giving in to it. Axel is equally attracted to Serena and has his own
doubts and conflicting emotions to deal with, which he does by burying them
deep.
I liked watching the development of the relationship
between Axel and Serena. They've worked together for four years, and their
attraction has simmered for almost as long. The intensity of their situation
brings the feelings they've hidden so long to the surface. They are also more
in tune with each other than either expected, which creates a few uncomfortable
moments. Serena learns of the tragic past that set Axel on his FBI path and
drives his compulsions when it comes to murderers. She aches for the guilt he
feels and sets out to help him overcome it. At the same time, Serena shares her
half-brother's story and its effect on her and her family. Axel helps Serena
see that she has her own guilty feelings to deal with. One of the things I
liked best was the respect each one had for the other's abilities. Axel had his
protective feelings toward Serena, but he didn't let it interfere with her
doing her job. That became even more Important as they closed in on the
fugitives. When it was all over, Axel and Serena had to decide what to do about
their future. I loved Axel's confidence in the face of Serena's worry over what
their teammates would say. I loved the scene after Axel got out of the hospital
and his friend/teammate Max took him home. The epilogue with the post-case
party was terrific.
The suspense of the story was excellent. From the moment
they learned of the escape, I could feel the TCD's determination to capture the
fugitives before they could cross the border. With Axel, Serena, and her dog
Blanca in the lead, it was fascinating to watch their plan unfold. The closer
they got, the more questions they had about what the fugitives were doing. The
first confrontation raised concerns about what kind of outside help they
received, while Axel and Serena overheard something alarming. After a break to
treat injuries and rest a little, Axel and Serena intensified their pursuit and
came up with a plan to separate the bad guys. An unforeseen twist put Serena at
the mercy of a man with nothing to lose. I was on the edge of my seat as the
scene played out, wondering what would happen. The turning point came from an
unexpected source, but it was still a close call.
Another essential part of the story was the relationship
between Serena and her sister, Opaline, another TCD member. In the earlier
books, the tension between the two women is obvious. In this book, we finally
learn that it is rooted in family issues, mainly dealing with their
half-brother. The two women's attitudes are very different, and it isn't
surprising that they clash. There is a very rough patch near the end, but
Opaline comes through, which goes a long way toward redeeming her.
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