Shatter by Joan Swan – a Review

Shatter
Phoenix Rising series
Book #4
by Joan Swan
Release Date: December 31, 2013

Links to order Shatter: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
For seven years, Halina Beloi has been in hiding. But she’s never forgotten Mitch Foster, the long, lean man she had to leave behind. Until, that is, Mitch shows up with a list of questions and a 9mm in his hand.

All Mitch knows is that Halina broke his heart and disappeared. But new information has surfaced implicating her as a player in the deadliest game of Mitch’s life. This time, he’s not letting go without answers. Now terror, danger and heat will fuse them together or shatter the future. . .

 Review:

Shatter by Joan Swan is the 4^th book in her wonderful Phoenix Rising series.  I have read and reviewed every book in this series from the start, and have loved every moment of this fantastic ride.  I have been a big fan of Joan Swan from the first book, and Phoenix Rising has become one of my favorite series; as it is so well written; and each book has been filled with action, excitement, suspense, super team of friends, awesome couples, and steamy sexual chemistry between them. 

Our hero in Shatter has been one that we have been waiting for from the start.  Mitch is one of our awesome and hot heroes, even though he has not been one of the men/women who developed unique powers due to a chemical explosion years before.  It is Mitch, who is Alyssa’s (heroine of the 1^st book) brother, who had the powerful connections & money to help protect and fight the evil enemies from DARPA.   We knew Shatter would be Mitch’s story, as we learned at the end of Rush, about his long lost love, Halina.

We meet Halina early, as she has built herself a new identity, after she left Mitch, 7 years before.  Halina, being a scientist, worked for Schaeffer, our villain, who is behind the threats against our heroes.  When Mitch comes face to face with Halina, his anger is evident, and Halina is shocked that he found her.  Mitch wants the truth about why she left him, and her involvement with Schaeffer; the explosion that affected the members of the Firehouse, who now all have unique powers. Halina tries to escape Mitch a number of times, as she knows that once she is discovered, the enemy will kill him, to get what they want from her.  She has never stopped loving Mitch, and spent these years watching him from afar; staying away just to protect him.  Mitch finds some truths, which angers him even more, as he doesn’t understand or trust Halina, but he knows that he still loves her. 

Once they get to the compound where everyone is staying together, the story becomes even more exciting, with the team learning more about Halina, her powers, as she too was exposed to the chemicals; and her research for Schaeffer that may have some answers.  The action is non stop, and it was just great to see all of our heroes together again, joining hands to fight a common enemy.  I loved loved Dex, Halina’s well trained guard dog, who becomes part of the team.  Most of all, I loved the romance between Mitch and Halina, even though Mitch was a bit rough with her early on, not knowing that Halina was trying to save him.  You knew they both belonged together, as their chemistry was off the wall.

I do not want to give spoilers, since this is an early review.  Shatter is a wonderful addition to Joan Swan’s Phoenix Rising series.  Each of the books in this series have been suspenseful, explosive non stop action, exciting, and tense;  with the added element of Joan’s wonderful blend of steamy sex for each couple.  If you want to read a book that has everything; excellent writing, romance, suspense, steamy sex, then look no further then Shatter.  But start with Fever, the beginning of this fantastic series.  Though there are some characters that can have their story told, Joan does tie up some loose ends, and Shatter could be the finale of this series, but I hope somehow we get to see more of these wonderful characters.  If you have not read this series, what are you waiting for?  When it comes to romance, suspense, with hot sexy couples, Joan Swan is one of the best.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher via NetGalley