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A review by kindlelovingmom
Search & Destroy by Julie Rowe
4.0
I seriously love this series SO. MUCH. Every time I love the story, and every time I can hardly wait for the next one. This one was so great, and I loved learning more about the task force boss lady!
Dr. Carmen Rodrigues is the director of the Outbreak Task Force at the CDC in Atlanta. She is always, calm, efficient, and trying her best for her people, and for the world at large. And her best is worth quite a lot. She's brilliant, hardworking, and dependable, which is why she's running this unit at 30 years old. When she was an aid worker in Afghanistan 9 years ago, she met, and fell for, her bodyguard, John Dozer. They had one night together, but then she left, and took some bad information, and anger, with her. When he showed up in her office less than a year ago, as the CDC's liaison agent from Homeland Security, both of them were shocked, to say the least.
John Dozer retired from the military, and took a job with Homeland. He volunteered for the liaison position, but had no idea that Carmen would be his contact there. She's been acting all-business since they met again, and he's followed her lead, but he's SO tired of that garbage. He still wants her, and he thinks it's finally time to make that apparent, and clear the air between them about the past. Especially since someone keeps trying to kill him. He's worked well with the task force, and he hates being physically unfit for duty while they need him. But, he won't let Carmen go investigate a new outbreak alone without protection. All her team works in pairs, and he is her pair. He's going with her as her bodyguard only, since he's not supposed to be working the investigation.
Carmen and John's underlying attraction, led to steamy chemistry, and finally to them both divulging their truths about the past, and how they wish it happened differently. I really enjoyed their honest communication in working through their issues. But Carmen carried a lot of anger about the past, in addition to her worries that John's overprotective behavior towards her must mean he doesn't trust her to be a competent, capable adult. And if he can't trust her, then she can't trust him. Their connection was tenuous, but they worked to strengthen it, and I adored watching them attempt it, amidst all the things happening around them.
There's been a building suspense plot throughout this series of a homegrown domestic terror group inflicting harm across the U.S., via bombs, guns, and general mayhem, as well as the spread of infectious diseases in certain areas. The Outbreak Task Force has been dispatched to these areas to investigate, and has gotten caught up in it every time. I've really loved getting to know this team, and falling for them amidst the ongoing drama. The suspense plot is always smart, engaging, and keeps me coming back for more, and that was true in this story as well. It feels like every time they get closer to pinning this group down, the next bad thing will happen and they'll be back to the beginning.
Most of the side characters here were characters from prior books, so that's always fun. The Drill Sergeant is an especially hilarious and satisfying character. I really enjoy this entire team, and I loved finally digging into the boss, after meeting her only peripherally in the last few books. She and Dozer's connection has been a remarked upon mystery in the other stories, so it was awesome to finally get some answers. I really enjoyed this one and, as always, I'm SO EXCITED for the next one. I'm REALLY hoping it's going to be CDC lab tech Henry. He seems like a delicious, grumpy puzzle, and I'm anxiously awaiting his story.
ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Megan from Alpha Book Club
Dr. Carmen Rodrigues is the director of the Outbreak Task Force at the CDC in Atlanta. She is always, calm, efficient, and trying her best for her people, and for the world at large. And her best is worth quite a lot. She's brilliant, hardworking, and dependable, which is why she's running this unit at 30 years old. When she was an aid worker in Afghanistan 9 years ago, she met, and fell for, her bodyguard, John Dozer. They had one night together, but then she left, and took some bad information, and anger, with her. When he showed up in her office less than a year ago, as the CDC's liaison agent from Homeland Security, both of them were shocked, to say the least.
John Dozer retired from the military, and took a job with Homeland. He volunteered for the liaison position, but had no idea that Carmen would be his contact there. She's been acting all-business since they met again, and he's followed her lead, but he's SO tired of that garbage. He still wants her, and he thinks it's finally time to make that apparent, and clear the air between them about the past. Especially since someone keeps trying to kill him. He's worked well with the task force, and he hates being physically unfit for duty while they need him. But, he won't let Carmen go investigate a new outbreak alone without protection. All her team works in pairs, and he is her pair. He's going with her as her bodyguard only, since he's not supposed to be working the investigation.
Carmen and John's underlying attraction, led to steamy chemistry, and finally to them both divulging their truths about the past, and how they wish it happened differently. I really enjoyed their honest communication in working through their issues. But Carmen carried a lot of anger about the past, in addition to her worries that John's overprotective behavior towards her must mean he doesn't trust her to be a competent, capable adult. And if he can't trust her, then she can't trust him. Their connection was tenuous, but they worked to strengthen it, and I adored watching them attempt it, amidst all the things happening around them.
There's been a building suspense plot throughout this series of a homegrown domestic terror group inflicting harm across the U.S., via bombs, guns, and general mayhem, as well as the spread of infectious diseases in certain areas. The Outbreak Task Force has been dispatched to these areas to investigate, and has gotten caught up in it every time. I've really loved getting to know this team, and falling for them amidst the ongoing drama. The suspense plot is always smart, engaging, and keeps me coming back for more, and that was true in this story as well. It feels like every time they get closer to pinning this group down, the next bad thing will happen and they'll be back to the beginning.
Most of the side characters here were characters from prior books, so that's always fun. The Drill Sergeant is an especially hilarious and satisfying character. I really enjoy this entire team, and I loved finally digging into the boss, after meeting her only peripherally in the last few books. She and Dozer's connection has been a remarked upon mystery in the other stories, so it was awesome to finally get some answers. I really enjoyed this one and, as always, I'm SO EXCITED for the next one. I'm REALLY hoping it's going to be CDC lab tech Henry. He seems like a delicious, grumpy puzzle, and I'm anxiously awaiting his story.
ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Megan from Alpha Book Club