A GOOD AGENT NEVER LETS THE JOB BECOME PERSONAL…

Who wanted her dead? That's what Claire Samson wanted to know. On the run and alone, there was only one man she trusted to find her. Recovery agent Luke Hathaway was the best at locating and saving, and she needed the best if she wanted to live. But the handsome agent who promised salvation had some conditions of his own. If he were to help, she needed to stick close by his side. Very close. And the only thing more dangerous than her current situation was the way Luke made her feel. From the protective look in his green eyes, she could tell he felt the same. But every second that brought them closer together was also ticking toward an explosive confrontation that might tear them apart….

Title: Under the Gun
Author: HelenKay Dimon
Series: Harlequin Intrigue’s Ultimate Heroes
Unnamed series, book 1 (name of the series will be added shortly)
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Harlequin (Intrigue)
Year of release: 2010, March 16
Format: Mass Market Paperback (Category), 224 pages
Source: Bought at the BookDepository.com
First line: Luke Hathaway scanned the surveillance monitors set up in the nondescript Washington, D.C., office building’s underground security headquarters.

Quick & Dirty-review:

Summary: Claire ran out right before they were supposed to get married two years ago. Now on the run and wanted for murder, she runs to Luke for help clearing her name.

Hero: Luke Hathaway, stubborn, determined, professional. His antiques recovery business is a front for an agency that finds and rescues missing people. Claire abandoning him left an undeniable impression on him and at first he is hesitant to help her.

Heroine: Claire Samson is smart, courageous and resilient. However there was something about her story that I just couldn’t grasp and I didn’t get a satisfactory explanation for it. I understood that her childhood played a big part in her reason to leave Luke as he was withholding part of his life from her (his real job) but that still didn’t explain why she not only left him practically at the alter but also chose to marry another man after she did.

Plot: A very well drawn and well-written, action-packed plot that kept me at the edge of my seat from start to end.

Writing: I really liked HelenKay Dimon’s writing. It’s crisp, clean and fast-paced. I just think that an Harlequin Intrigue is not enough for me to really form a founded opinion on it. So I am definitely reading more of her work in order to do so.

Likes:
- The action that kept the story going in a very fast pace
- Luke’s fellow operatives, a wealth of future books there!

Dislikes:
- Claire’s character and back-story. I am still on the fence about Claire because I liked her courage and determination but couldn’t get a solid explanation for her actions in the past.

Verdict:
This was a book of firsts for me. My first HelenKay Dimon book and my first Harlequin Intrigue. I had not tasted HelenKay Dimon’s writing before this book and didn’t know what to expect from a Harlequin Intrigue except suspense. I can safely say that I really liked this first encounter. The thrilling start immediately had my attention and held it and it was filled with hard-core action with the gunfights, fistfights and the suspense. I definitely want more and have my next HelenKay Dimon HQN Intrigue climbing Mount TBR!

Favorite Quote:
She fell into the kiss, returning his sure touches with her own. Hot breaths. Guttural moans. The memories of being with him came rushing back. Not that they had ever truly left. A woman didn’t forget being overwhelmed by the joint pleasure of a man’s mouth and hands.
Luke had that power over her.