Playing Dirty - HelenKay Dimon (Avon - Feb 2015)

Series: Bad Boys Undercover (Book 1)

As an elite Alliance agent -- the joint undercover operation of MI6, the British Secret Intelligence Service, and the CIA -- Ford Decker lives for the adrenaline. But when he befriends sexy property manager Shay Alexander in hopes of finding her cousin, a known national security threat, Ford crosses the line, getting to know her better . . . in bed.

After being burned by her last relationship, Shay wants to take things slow. Yet she can't keep her hands off the drop-dead gorgeous hottie who's moved into her apartment building. So when Ford's identity as an undercover agent is exposed, his betrayal cuts deep. Shay never wants to see him again, but Ford can't let her go, not when her life is still in danger. He will sacrifice everything to protect her, then be prepared to walk away from the only woman he's ever loved, even if it breaks him.

Very good book. Ford is undercover, working on a case for Alliance. A scientist has gone missing along with some vials of a deadly toxin. Rumor has it that it will be sold to the highest bidder. Ford is tagged with watching Shay, cousin to the missing scientist, and property manager of the building Ford is now living in. But Ford goes further than he should, and gets much, much closer. Because of a past relationship that went wrong, Shay intends to be cautious with Ford. But those intentions go right out the window when the sparks between them burst into flame.

I really liked both Ford and Shay. Shay is pretty straightforward, doesn't play silly emotional games. She is recovering from one bad relationship, where the guy lied to her and used her to try to get to her uncle and his wealth. She likes Ford, and though she is frustrated by his frequent absences, she understands that his job as an IT specialist calls him away at a moment's notice. I loved that she isn't a whiner and doesn't try to inveigle him into a deeper relationship than he's ready for. Her family is important to her and she worries about her cousin.

Ford is great. He first appeared in Running Hot, as Ward's partner. Now he is a team leader himself. He likes the new agency, which isn't as bound up in rules and regulations as his former work with the CIA, which gives him the freedom to react as he needs to. He is protective, loyal, frequently sarcastic, and honorable. He's haunted by things that happened on his last CIA mission and determined that it won't happen again.

The relationship between Ford and Shay has the potential for disaster from the beginning. Ford wasn't supposed to make contact with her yet, but the attraction to her is too hard to resist. From the outset, we see the conflict that Ford is suffering from. She is part of the job, a possible suspect, and yet he can't stay away from her. He realizes quickly that she isn't involved and quickly moves into protector mode, worried about her getting caught up in the middle. I loved seeing them together, with their happiness in just being able to spend time together. Shay's mistrust of men disappears when she's around Ford, feeling that he's just what he says he is. Ford gets a little freaked out by just how much he needs Shay in his life. I loved how being with her would center him after a difficult op. I was a little bit surprised that Shay wasn't more suspicious of Ford, especially with his odd schedule, but he was pretty convincing. I ached for them both when the truth came out. Ford had fallen so hard for her, but knew that he deserved her anger. What he didn't know was if she would ever forgive him. Shay was hit with so much at once that Ford's deception seemed to be an even worse betrayal. It takes her a while to process everything, and even then she's not sure she can forgive him. I loved Ford's big moment at the end, especially the vulnerability that he exposed to her.

The suspense of the story was fantastic. The men and women of Alliance are determined to stop Trent and his plans to sell the toxin to the highest bidder. The problem that they have is that each lead they follow ends up being a dead end or a trap that nearly gets them killed. It quickly becomes obvious that there is someone on the inside that is helping the bad guys. So in addition to finding Trent and the toxin, they also have to find the "mole". There were a couple possibilities and the truth remained hidden until the end. The build up to the final confrontation was intense and kept me reading well past my bedtime. I was on the edge of my seat through it as I wondered how it was going to end.

I loved how Ford's Bravo team worked together. They were all so different, but each had their own place. I especially liked how much respect they had for Ford and that they were with him no matter what. I loved the banter among them all, from the funny to the sarcastic. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in later books.

Running Hot - HelenKay Dimon (Avon - Jan 2015)

Series: Bad Boys Undercover (Book .5)

Camped out at a resort bar in Fiji, CIA operative Ward Bennett may look like he's on vacation but he's really deep undercover, hunting a dictator on the run. Ward may be on the job, but that doesn't mean there isn't time for the sexy female bartender. That is, until she drugs him.

When Tasha Gregory discovers the hottie on the barstool isn't who he pretends to be, her MI6 training kicks into gear, and she has no choice but to take him out. Problem is, Ward's not an easy man to put down for long. More than once, his interference almost blows her surveillance operation--and her ability to keep her heart to herself.

As the situation heats up, these two must decide whether they can trust one another--and quick. Working together might just make everyone safer, but getting close enough for comfort ... might just get them killed.

Good introduction to the Bad Boys Undercover series and how The Alliance got started. It starts with Ward regaining consciousness after a date with the sexy bartender he's been trying to charm all week. She has morphed from hot bartender to badass woman, and he's scrambling trying to figure out what is going on. I loved their confrontation, as he tries to maintain his cover, and she tries to get him to come clean. Ward isn't totally helpless, and uses his own skills to escape his bonds, but even that doesn't work out quite the way he expects. Finally rescued by his partner, Ford, they head off looking for her while continuing on their own mission.

Tasha works for MI6 and Ward for the CIA. Both of them are on the island for the same reason. When they finally catch up to Tasha, it takes some doing to convince her that working together is the way to go. Tasha has quite an attitude, thanks to dealing with men who have no respect for her abilities, and has no trouble letting Ward and Ford know what she thinks of them. There's some power struggling going on between Ward and Tasha, partly aggravated by the simmering chemistry between them, but they end up working very well together. Both of them have trouble with their attraction distracting them which gets them into a couple awkward situations.

The suspense and action of the story was really good. From the first page there was always something going on. I loved seeing all three work together to get the mission accomplished. The encounters leading up to the final confrontation were intense and showed both Ward and Tasha that they could depend on each other. The final confrontation had me wondering at times if they were all going to make it out in one piece. I liked the realism of things not going according to plan, and that injuries happen.

When it was all over Ward and Tasha had to deal with the aftermath. I ached for Tasha as Ward pushed her away. I enjoyed his big moment at the end, especially seeing a hint of vulnerability in his tough guy attitude. I also loved his comments about their future relationship, on and off the job.