Some loves are meant to be from the very beginning.
Jess O'Conner and Ethan Bollinger have known each other
almost their entire lives and have loved each other from the start. The people
of Oak Creek have watched them grow up, and everyone has always known what they
are...
Soulmates.
But sometimes, fate demands a different path, derailing
even the most carefully mapped plans.
Visit the Linear Tactical world one last time with the
story of Jess and Ethan all grown up as they finally get their forever.
...if they can live long enough to enjoy it.
What a fantastic ending to the Linear Tactical series! I
have been hoping and waiting for this book ever since four-year-old Jess
claimed seven-year-old Ethan as "my Ethan" in Eagle. Like his father,
Finn, Ethan protects those he cares about, and Jess had his heart from the
get-go. Little Jess is a certified genius who has little to no fear of the
world. She can outthink many adults and talk circles around the others. She can
be obstinate and impulsive, frequently getting her into hot water, leaving
Ethan to get her out.
Nothing changed as Ethan and Jess grew older. They
belonged to each other, and everyone knew it. When Jess was fourteen, she
earned an offer to attend a prestigious school, something she really wanted to
do. But when she started talking about giving it up rather than leave Ethan
behind, he knew he had to do something. Advancing his plans by a few months, he
attempted to sneak away to join the military, removing Jess's reason to stay. Ethan's
conversation with his father made me laugh (GO NAVY!). Over the next few years,
Ethan and Jess don't see each other often, but their feelings for each other
never change.
Then the two drift a little bit apart. Doubts arise about
feelings. Neither Jess nor Ethan has any question about their own feelings.
Each knows that there will never be anyone else. Misunderstandings and time apart
lead to fears that the other wants something else. Just as Ethan makes decisions
about his future and leaves the military, he gets tapped for a critical
mission. Jess and three of her colleagues have been kidnapped while on
vacation. Complicating matters, secret government research stolen from their
lab may be up for sale to some bad people, and Jess is the top suspect for the
theft.
From here, the suspense and action, combined with Ethan
and Jess's relationship, kept me glued to the pages. With alternating
viewpoints between Ethan and Jess, there was always something going on. The men
who have Jess and her friends mean business and Jess fears for their lives. She's
not the type to give up, having been raised around the men and women of Linear
Tactical, and her brain runs a mile a minute searching for options. When Ethan
and his team arrive, the race is on to get them to safety. Twists and turns,
betrayals and renewals, kept the action moving. In the rare quiet moments, Ethan
and Jess get to talk and clear the air between them. But will they
survive to carry out that future they've waited so long for? The final
confrontation was a nail-biter. Jess's strength in the face of almost certain
death was incredible but not surprising. I wasn't sure how they would get out
of it, but the author came through with a rip-roaring finish. The epilogue was
fantastic and brought their story full circle, back to where it all began.
One of the things I loved about this book was the
flashbacks showing the development of the relationship between Jess and Ethan.
From their first meeting to their wedding day, the description of
"soulmates" was never in question. Some of them were funny and sweet
(mangoes, anyone?), some were steamy (hello, Paris), and some were
heartbreaking (Happy Birthday, Jess). Ethan's strength of will and
determination to do the right thing didn't surprise me, nor did Jess's attempts
to get her way.
I'm sad to see this series end, but I can't wait to dig
into the Zodiac Tactical series and fully expect to see some of the LT folks
again. And yes, Janie, I would LOVE to see a Linear Tactical: The Next
Generation series someday.
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