Shadow of Doubt (SBG 2) by P.A. DePaul-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 17, 2023

He wants something for himself…
If only he could believe in her innocence.

Michelle Alger flees when her secretly recorded tryst winds up on the internet. She has no option but to hide. Her one-night stand—the son of a powerful US senator—was murdered. Learning she’s the prime suspect is traumatizing. Already a member of witness protection thanks to a Colombian drug lord kidnapping her in college, she now has to run from the senator and law enforcement. To make matters worse, the drug lord finally knows her location and is hot on her trail. There’s only one man she trusts. He saved her once, can he do it again six years later?

Captain Jeremy Malone no longer wears a Green Beret. He’s traded in his fatigues for a new life leading Delta Squad, a covert unit within SweetBriar Group. His latest orders from the senator: find the unknown woman and bring her to me. But Jeremy knows her identity. He once rescued her from a Colombian cartel, and has never forgotten her. He assigns his squad a new mission: find Michelle first and learn the real story.

Michelle and Jeremy can’t deny their explosive chemistry. But, with every new piece of evidence, Jeremy’s faith in Michelle’s innocence is questioned. Is her plea for help a ruse…or a trap set by a beautiful woman determined to expose Jeremy’s own secrets…

•••••

REVIEW:SHADOW OF DOUBT is the second instalment in P.A. DePaul’s contemporary, adult SBG romantic, military suspense series focusing on a group of former military and law enforcement personnel. This is thirty-eight year old, former US Green Beret Captain Jeremy ‘Cappy’ Malone, and twenty—five year old, park ranger Michelle Alger’s story line. SHADOW OF A DOUBT should not be read as a stand alone as many of the current story line events are as of a direct result of the events in book one EXCHANGE OF FIRE.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

SHADOW OF DOUBT is the re-release of the same 2015 book and title but with some story-line ‘tightening’

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Michelle and Cappy, using dual timelines SHADOW OF DOUBT focuses on the hunt for a killer. Six years earlier, Michelle, as part of an environmental group, was abducted from the Amazon rainforest, and tortured by the Columbian cartel. Days later Michelle would be rescued by the black ops groups known as SBG (SweetBriar Group), never to hear or see from them again. Fast forward to present day, Michelle now physically healed from her ordeal, finds herself the only suspect in the murder of a senator’s son, and knows of only one man who may be able to save her life. Enter former US Green Beret Jeremy ‘Cappy’ Malone, the man with whom she would fall in love. Hired by the Senator Harris to find his son’s killer, the gang at SBG must protect the woman they believe is a cold blooded killer. What ensues is the building but reluctant relationship between Cappy and Michelle, and the potential fall-out as the past refuses to let go, taking aim at our story line couple.

The world building is complex, detailed, and multi-layered with many scenarios connected to the introductory story line. Characters with pre-existing histories between one another, and with events from the past, are part of the focus of the current time-line therefore I highly recommend reading the series in order.

The relationship between Cappy and Michelle begins as a rescue, a rescue in which Cappy gives Michelle his name and number but has to ghost our heroine in the face of the ongoing threats in the Amazon jungle. Suffering with many issues of PTSD, Michelle continues to struggle with the memories from the past, memories that become all too real when the past returns. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, enterprising and spirited secondary and supporting characters many of whom played a significant role in both EXCHANGE OF FIRE and SHADOW OF DOUBT including the team’s original handler and CEO of SBG Victor Dalmingo, Senator Harris, and a ghost from the past.

SHADOW OF DOUBT is a comprehensive, elaborate and multi-layered story line of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, acceptance and love. The slow building premise is raw and gritty ; the characters are animated, real and dynamic; the romance is seductive and emotional.

Once again, I strongly recommend reading book one EXCHANGE OF FIRE, otherwise there may be more confusion than necessary. I had hoped there would have been some detailed references to past events in an effort to circumvent the lack of awareness of previous events.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

P. A. DePaul is a Publishers Weekly Bestselling and award-winning author.

Her books are full of action, suspense, and romance.

As a hybrid author, she has books traditionally and independently published. Her traditional publishers include Berkley, a Penguin Random House imprint, and Harlequin Books.

She loves connecting with readers! You can find her on these social media and book sites: Newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Amazon, BookBub, YouTube.