Sleight of Hand by Julie Rowe – a Review

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Description:
CDC nurse Joy Oshiro is stressed to the breaking point. College students are dying and no one knows why. And her new partner Dr. Gunner Anderson is frustratingly annoying—and sexy, but mainly just plain annoying—and proving difficult to avoid. He spent three years with Doctors Without Borders, and disillusioned is just the tip of his issues.

They’ll need to learn to trust each other if they have a chance at figuring out who is behind the attacks. She makes him laugh, makes him forget—for a little while. But each new clue keeps them one step behind the terrorists, with buildings and evidence being destroyed just as they near.

Now they’re in a race against time to not only find a cure, but also to avoid becoming the next targets themselves.

Each book in the Outbreak Task Force series is STANDALONE:
* Viable Threat
* Smoke & Mirrors
* Sleight of Hand

Review:

Sleight of Hand begins with  Dr. Gunner Anderson being told that they’re pairing him with another investigator……….again.  Gunner has issues working with people whom he thinks don’t give it their all. In walks nurse Joy Oshiro.  Even though he’s stunned to see her, secretly he’s a little happy.  Even though he knows who she is and has thought of her often, he still doesn’t know if she’ll be a good partner or not.  Having suffered a devastating loss working with Doctors Without Borders has left him almost empty…….almost.

Joy doesn’t know how to feel about becoming Gunner’s new partner.  She’s heard all of the ramblings and complaints about working with him but loves her job.  He may be sexy as hell, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be able to work together.  Having been in the military has left Joy with demons of her own, but she’s willing to give it a go.

When a call comes in with mass casualties, they make the scene and are stunned by what they see.  However, it’s when the calls keep coming that they see this is an orchestrated effort to wreak as much havoc as possible.  The two of them are exhausted and still a little weary of the other, but soon figure out they’ll have to trust each other if they’re going to survive. 

Sleight of Hand is the third book in the Outbreak Task Force series, but can be read as a standalone.  I read the first book in the series a while back, but not the second, and didn’t feel that I was missing anything in the continuation of the story.  Joy and Gunner were both well written.  Gunner’s backstory more than explains his demeanor and will break your heart.  Joy’s backstory, though not as heart wrenching as Gunner’s, makes them the perfect, albeit a little dysfunctional, couple.  The two of them together makes for a fun and suspenseful read.  The secondary characters are well written as well, and I look forward to finding out a bit more about their boss, because I know she has a story to tell.  If you’re a fan of suspense and action, with a little romance thrown in, you won’t go wrong with this one.  Well done, Julie Rowe!

Reviewed by Vickie

Copy provided by Publisher