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A review by jonetta
In the Arms of a Stranger by Virginia Kelly
4.0
Originally posted at The Book Nympho
Quick Summary
CIA operative JP Blackmon is wounded, on the run and has finally made his way to his former partner's (Wade Price) home to confront him, to get him to clear his name. What he finds is his widow, Abby, who in the moment needs his help pretty desperately. She also wants answers that only he can provide so they, for now, have a tenuous partnership.
The mystery
JP doesn't know if Wade set him up or was also a victim of a horrible treason perpetrated on both of them. Abby wants answers and doesn't know if she ever really knew her husband. As the search for JP intensifies, it's impossible to know who to trust and how to follow Wade's trail of clues. Abby's pretty sharp and isn't aware of what she may know that's helpful. JP is a highly trained operative who can take care of himself but can't solve this without her.
The romance
You expect in this genre for things to heat up more quickly given the heightened state of excitement and adrenalin flow. JP and Abby are no exception and both really fight their attraction, he because his lifestyle is pretty problematic and she because he's virtually a stranger who hasn't earned her trust...yet. But, spending days on end together on constant alert seems to kill all of those concerns. Yes, it was a short time but these two really got to know each other. I liked how their relationship developed.
The bottom line
The story was pretty well balance between the romance and suspense with a tiny nod to the love story. Abby's son was also very charming and added to the plot. The tension ebbed and flowed but when it was up, it got my blood boiling. It's a very good story with an exciting mystery and strong romance. I was able to figure out the villains early on but there were a hosts of surprises that kept things interesting. I'll be reading more by Kelly as she spins a good tale.
Quick Summary
CIA operative JP Blackmon is wounded, on the run and has finally made his way to his former partner's (Wade Price) home to confront him, to get him to clear his name. What he finds is his widow, Abby, who in the moment needs his help pretty desperately. She also wants answers that only he can provide so they, for now, have a tenuous partnership.
The mystery
JP doesn't know if Wade set him up or was also a victim of a horrible treason perpetrated on both of them. Abby wants answers and doesn't know if she ever really knew her husband. As the search for JP intensifies, it's impossible to know who to trust and how to follow Wade's trail of clues. Abby's pretty sharp and isn't aware of what she may know that's helpful. JP is a highly trained operative who can take care of himself but can't solve this without her.
The romance
You expect in this genre for things to heat up more quickly given the heightened state of excitement and adrenalin flow. JP and Abby are no exception and both really fight their attraction, he because his lifestyle is pretty problematic and she because he's virtually a stranger who hasn't earned her trust...yet. But, spending days on end together on constant alert seems to kill all of those concerns. Yes, it was a short time but these two really got to know each other. I liked how their relationship developed.
The bottom line
The story was pretty well balance between the romance and suspense with a tiny nod to the love story. Abby's son was also very charming and added to the plot. The tension ebbed and flowed but when it was up, it got my blood boiling. It's a very good story with an exciting mystery and strong romance. I was able to figure out the villains early on but there were a hosts of surprises that kept things interesting. I'll be reading more by Kelly as she spins a good tale.