WOW! Just WOW! This one is for the fans of this series. We get answers to a lot of questions and of course we get new ones to worry over. We find out who set the bomb in John’s office. We find out a bit more about Adam. We find out a whole lot more about Thorne. And we get to watch snarky coyote shifter Trevor fall for a former CIA agent Alina. This is high energy fun that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
X-Ops is a favorite of mine, and coyote shifter Trevor Maxwell is a great example of why. He's sarcastic, witty, and loyal to his team above all else. Even when he knows that his teammate has been sent to spy on him. Alina was hit and miss for me. I understood her trust issues, but I didn't understand why they weren't universal. She wouldn't trust her teammate because she trusted someone else that said he was bad. But why did she trust that someone else?
Aside from my hesitation over who Alina chose to trust, she was a really fun character. There are several undercover scenes that were just perfect. The dialog and interactions between Trevor and Alina were hot! And the way they build up the tension.....I wasn't sure if they were going to implode before they got together or not.
There's also a cute dog that the neighbor watches who has an amazing habit of busting in at inopportune times to help lighten the mood. However, it wasn't all fun and laughs. There are some pretty serious things happening in the world of X-Ops. Just when you think the bad guys have been dealt a death blow - they seem to jump right back up with some new back pocket plan and ally. Tons of suspense and I was on the edge of my seat for many reasons throughout Her Dark Half.
Her Dark Half is the seventh installment in this series and I have been really neglecting this author of late. I am not sure why I have been doing it either because she really hooks me so easily. I just love how easily she draws me into her world-building plots. I really love this style of paranormal, where we get a blend of the PNR genre plus romantic suspense and some military lovin'. It's like all of my favorite aspects just thrown together into one and it's so beautiful the way that Paige Tyler really combines all of these elements. There is something so dynamic in her writing style, and even though this book wasn't right away "pull me into the story" after a chapter or so, I was really hooked into it. I did have trouble being in the mood for this book and I felt so sad about it however, I finally got my jive going with this one and it just drew me back into this world that I have missed and I can't wait to immerse myself back into more of this author's work.
Her Dark Half is a action-packed romance that features:
Alina Bosch- Ex CIA agent, working undercover, strong and vulnerable
Her Dark Half sets off with Trevor Maxwell, who is still working at the DCO, even though all of his friends have been forced on the run. But he is biding his time, trying to learn all that he can, and take down the leaders of the company who are trying to destroy everything he cares about. But now his boss is forcing him to partner with Alina, who happens to be Ex CIA. He knows that he can't trust her because he knows that she is a plant to get information on him to see if he is trustworthy or a traitor. Alina has been determined to never be deceived again. She was once betrayed while working at the CIA by someone she trusted the most and now she wants justice for that betrayal. But while on this assignment, she is asked to spy on Trevor, and see if he is hiding anything. She senses that he has many secrets and she wants to get to the bottom of those secrets. But what puts an added complication in the mix, is the intense chemistry that rises between Trevor and Alina. But when some secrets get revealed, Trevor and Alina will have to learn to trust in each other to fight the real enemy because the battle is just beginning...
Her Dark Half really picks up where the last book leaves off, but I was really surprised that I didn't need to read the previous books to remember everything that was happening. It has been about three to four years since I have read this author, so I thought I would forget everything. But it came roaring back to me the moment I started to read. And once I was about 20% in I was definitely back in love with this world and seeing all the characters in the overall plot and their involvement. I actually had such a good time with this book. I am not that surprised, because it is Paige Tyler, and she always delivers on such solid stories. I really loved the espionage feel to this story and seeing how crafty Trevor needs to be. The bond between Trevor and Alina was quite fun, and they get on so well together. And the chemistry is so flawless in this book, from beginning to end you see and feel the depths of it all and how it all comes together. There is so much emotion packed into this book and there were definitely tear-jerky moments at times and in the most unexpected ways too. My heart broke for some of the side characters and what they were facing. I would say if you are new to this author or this series, I highly recommend you read these books in order. Just due to the overall plot of the series as a whole, it is better to read them in order so you can fully understand and enjoy this world.
Overall I found Her Dark Half to be a compelling, intense-filled romance that combines so many edgy elements of the PNR and delivers in such a satisfying end while at the same time teasing you to pick up the next book.
I knew that this book would be a bit different from previous books because of how Her True Match ended. The series has been building and building since book one. Things really came to a head and a lot happened at the end of book six. That leaves this current, book seven, to pick up the pieces and move the series forward.
The books in this series always start off in the past. We learn something about the new character that will be part of the main couple for that particular book. Here, we go back into Alina Bosch’s past. She was part of a team of CIA agents and she is betrayed by one of her teammates and the expense of the rest of the team. As you can imagine, revenge is very high on her list. She wants nothing more than retribution for her teammates lives. So, when she is given the opportunity to work in a different government branch and sniff out someone who betrayed their boss, you can imagine how quickly she jumped on the chance. Oh, they also offered to let her use resources to track down her dirtbag of an ex-teammate too.
Trevor Maxwell was a minor character who is getting his time to shine. He is a coyote shifter and has been an operative for DCO for years. He decided to stay, when many others left, to try to get information on what the corrupt people in power are doing up to. He is reporting back to Ivy and Landon.
It is safe to say that Trevor and Alina start off very rocky. Neither trusts the other and they both have good reason. It doesn’t take long before Alina starts to see that she wasn’t told the 100% truth and that Trevor isn’t the cold blooded killer she was told. Trevor starts to see that Alina is on the up and up and that they must work together to figure out what is going on at DCO.
This is a really fun series. I love the great mashup of suspense, action and romance. The fact that there are shifters (my favorite of all the paranormal species), doesn’t hurt anything either. Paige Tyler has done a great job with keeping things very interesting with the overall series arc and the diversity in characters. I really feel like every character is completely unique. Every couple has their own issues that they must overcome to be together. I can’t wait to see where she takes the series from here.
**Book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley. This review is my opinion and was not requested or provoked in anyway.
I love Trevor. I love Trevor. I love Trevor. It took me a while to actually finish this book because I was on a long waitlist at my library...but no worries the wait is totally worth it! Trevor and Alina have a pretty natural relationship... very hesitant at first and totally realistic in how they come to work together and all of the drama that they go through, though the physical attraction is there, then they learn to trust one another, over anyone else, and finally everything else falls into place.
Alina is hired by the bad guys to be Trevor's partner and basically report back to them everything that he does. And at first she doesn't realize what she got herself into, but she is smart enough, and morally sound enough to choose another side when she realizes what is right.
Trevor starts off being pissed that he has to deal with all of the shit from his organization turning on his friends, and even though he is still on their side, he stays at work to play spy and do his best to protect everyone else. So when he gets a new partner, he isn't trilled, but he isn't an asshole to her either. He makes use of Alina's skills and brings her on fact finding missions, where she is able to put two and two together and then willingly work with Trevor.
Then there is the drama, espionage, sexual tension, and snooping neighbors that kept me entertained from start to finish.
I love these kinds of stories where each book focuses on a different couple that we get to see again later in the series, and as soon as their names show up on the page, you have this desire to re-read their book again. We hear a little about the other characters, but I want to know more!!! I mean Kendra gave birth in a Bed and Breakfast during a shootout! I want to hear all about her and Declan, up until that moment and after. I mean I was freaking out about that... I can't even imagine how they were feeling!
Tyler's little details in the story give the characters so much more depth. Like Alina is eating ice cream in bed with Trevor and they can be just so cute together, but then in a work environment they are all business. And there is no unnecessary angst with them either, which I love. Alina notices something fishy is going on, on her own, and figures out who to trust, and Trevor never holds a grudge against her for it.
They might very well be my favorite of all of Tyler's couples.
Oh, man, this book was excellent! After the ending of Her Perfect Match, I didn't know where the series would go, and yeah, this book had a ton going on! Loved it!
Usually, I tear right through these. This one did not hold my attention, so maybe I'm having a reading slump. The story arc continues, though, so even though is the cast of thousands from a long series, I'll keep reading for what I hope is the big finish.
