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Hostage Negotiation/Deep Cover Detective by Lena Diaz – Reviews

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Hostage Negotiation/Deep Cover Detective by Lena Diaz – Reviews

 

Hostage Negotiation

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Description:
Many women went missing outside Mystic Glades. She escaped. 

When he took the job, Zack Scott heard about the horrors waiting in the swamp. So when Kaylee Brighton dashed into the road like the devil was on her tail, the new police chief gave her a safe place to recover. Imprisoned for months, Kaylee could lead Zack to her captor. Though Zack swore to protect her, only Kaylee knew the darkness that awaited them if she returned. She couldn’t begin to understand what drove Zack, but she knew the importance of having him by her side. Because it wasn’t enough for Kaylee to have escaped. Now it was time to take back her life

Review:
Lena Diaz has remained consistent throughout her Marshland Justice series, genuine excitement and enthusiasm, so it’s a bittersweet feeling to have reached its conclusion.  Book 4, Hostage Negotiation, is a lovely tribute to the heart of the eccentric town of Mystic Glades.  Kaylee and Zach are the featured H/H in this book and their journey is one you won’t soon forget.  Leave it to Ms. Diaz to send us off with her most intense and action-packed story yet!  I knew the subject of abduction was going to make me anxious and Lena Diaz delivered.  Pulse-pounding and terror-infused descriptions gave me goosebumps, chilled me to the core.  That’s the kind of dynamic storytelling you’ll find in this swan song.

The synopsis reveals that Kaylee is recovering from being held against her will for several months, so this is not a spoiler.  What’s more vital and a testament to Kaylee’s character, is her commitment to justice.

     “And even though she desperately wanted to forget each of those sharp little pieces memory, instead she forced herself to think about them and try to put them together into a cohesive whole.”

It’s not easy for Kaylee to be under so much pressure during physical and mental recovery, and only newly appointed Chief of Police, Zach, seems to be sympathetic.  With his help and support and endless patience, Kaylee begins to trudge through the horrible memories of her captor and his twisted treatment.  It was a triumph of the spirit to say the least.  I was so proud of Kaylee’s strength and determination to hunt down “the devil”.  She showed perseverance and grace while facing her trauma.  And just as beautiful was Kaylee’s resolve to trust and love again.  It was a slow build-up of the relationship, in obvious deference to her attack, but it’s nigh impossible not to swoon for Zach.  He was her pillar of strength and partner.

When Kaylee no longer tolerates stall tactics, she vows to prevent her captor from ever endangering another person, search parties rally to retrace her steps and expand their investigation.  When tireless efforts produce new developments, could some volunteers be actually sabotaging the mission?  Hostage Negotiation introduces characters with nefarious plots who muddy up the waters of Mystic Glades.  Gators and other exotic animals native to the Everglades of Florida have nothing on the devil in this book!  Lena Diaz will show you very ugly souls.  Lena Diaz will always give you hope.  Hostage Negotiation endeavors to save the damage done.

Mystic Glades, the “land of the lost” is a fascinating location imbued with magic and unforgettable characters.  I will miss them all!

 

 

Deep Cover Detective

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Description:
A detective needed a mysterious woman’s help—even if she had secrets to spare… 

In the heart of everglade country, Detective Colton Graham lays his plans to catch a robbery kingpin. What he fails to plan for is Silver Westbrook. Proprietress of a local B and B, Silver is as sharp-witted as she is easy on the eyes. But Colton senses Silver is hiding something. Suspicious that she might be harboring the very criminals he’s tracking, Colton keeps a watchful eye on her. It doesn’t take long to learn her true motives and her involvement in the case. But unfortunately for both of them, attraction can be the deadliest distraction.

Review:

Catch the little fish in the pond to get to the bigger prize, or something to that effect, right?  What undercover detective, Colton Graham, doesn’t realize is that the waters of Mystic Glades run deep with interesting (suspicious) characters.  None more so than B&B proprietor, Silver Westbrook.  She has a way of diverting Colton’s attention, but is it all for good?  Lena Diaz will intrigue you, thrill you, and shake you up before the full reveal in Deep Cover Detective.  This is book 3 of her awesome Marshland Justice series.

While Colton is working hard to infiltrate young Eddie’s ring of thugs, Silver is sabotaging his efforts — a silent tug-of-war for Eddie’s “connections”?

       “If he ever suspected what she knew about him, and her ulterior motives for coming back to Mystic Glades, he’d disappear faster than a sandbar in high tide.  And then she’d have no way to protect him or help him out of the mess he was making of his life.”

When details unfold and turn deadly, Silver and Colton join forces.  Will Silver give Colton her full, honest support or lead him on with false hope to maintain some sort of advantage?  Secrets and truths too important eke out.  How bad is the burn when Colton is supposed to be experienced at keeping relationships professional while on a case?  Something tells me both of them knew better.

Ummm…sooo good, so enjoyable, so worthy a read!  Colton and Silver are bright and loyal individuals.  When they work together, there’s some real magic happening.  Mystic Glades won’t make life easy, being host to illegal activities, so innocence will be hard fought and lost.  Will Colton and Silver get to the head of the snake before another burglary…or worse?

Deep Cover Detective almost got away from me and I would have regretted it because this whole series is just that good.  I’m keeping this review brief to make room for the final book, Hostage Negotiation.  Oh, look at that:  It’s right above! 😉

Reviews by Carmen

 Copies provided by Author

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Arresting Developments by Lena Diaz – a Review

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Arresting Developments by Lena Diaz – a Review

 

Arresting DevelopmentsAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

Description:
A mysterious beauty had nursed him back to health—and attracted the attention of some very bad men… 

Somewhere over the Everglades, the airplane’s engine failed and Dex Lassiter plummeted into the swamp’s murky depths. Amber Callahan didn’t expect to find any survivors in the wreckage, but Dex was about as tough as they came. And too smart not to dig into why a woman like her had run away to settle in remote Mystic Glades. Or why a killer circled their every move. As floodwaters rose, deputizing Dex was just what this lawless small town needed. Because escape wasn’t possible. And the only thing Dex did better than starting things was defending them.

Review:

A mysterious mist engulfed the Cessna Dex was flying, killing the engine, and causing it to nosedive into a tree. Yup, we’re back in the Everglades, where the incredulous mingles with reality. We met Dex in book 1 of Lena Diaz’s Marshland Justice Series (available here) and to say I was interested is an understatement. Arresting Developments features navy pilot turned millionaire mogul, Dex Lassiter, and Amber Callahan, former healer turn hideout. When their paths cross, secrets are exposed and murder is rampant. It’s hard enough for two opposites to find common ground, but when Dex and Amber lower their guards and glimpse a better, stronger future together…what can’t they survive? Lena Diaz will keep you on edge, looking over your shoulder, in this short, sexy, dangerous story.

Most of the engine was intact. Only a few parts had been ripped away or crushed on impact. Everything looked normal.

Except for the electrical tape…

Since electric tape wasn’t standard equipment in any engine compartment, especially a brand-new plane, he could only reach one logical conclusion.

Someone had tried to kill him.

Amber doesn’t want to get involved (she’s already implicated in something enormous), but when a plane goes down, in the perilous Glades, her good heart is prompted into immediate action. In and out; drop off the city boy in town with no one the wiser. But upon arrival, Dex gets her heart pumping! This charming man can’t keep the flirtations to a minimum despite sepsis poisoning his body (and why can’t Amber stop blushing and enjoying every overture?) Because Lena Diaz wrote one hell of a leading man! That interest I referred to earlier? Far too mild a noun now that he’s developed. I loved the chemistry and temptation; the desire to give in to those impulses without regret (or too much at least, lol!)

Before you know it, Amber’s past is revealed (in parts) and it weighs as heavily as the threat (and guilt) burdening Dex. Attraction aside, Amber and Dex should run and hide back to their respective holes — is there a person who asks for more complications? That would be Dex, lol, but it’s only because their connection is so compelling; it urges them to reach for more: For Amber to stop running and for Dex to right his wrongs.

Am I sharing too many feelings instead of plot lines? This review flowed because Arresting Developments was such a forward, fast-paced read. Ms. Diaz addresses Amber’s questionable past, but she shifts center stage to make room for Dex’s arc; where his vulnerabilities are exposed, mucking up his share of the Mystic Glades waters.

Who knew crisis could forge such an unexpected kinship? Amber and Dex dig deep to offer the best of themselves and no one deserves a happier HEA! I have been inhaling this Marshland series and look forward to the third installation…and the inevitable conclusion. Get on this, my friends!

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Author

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Missing in the Glades by Lena Diaz – a Review

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Missing in the Glades by Lena Diaz – a Review

 

Missing in the gladesAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

Description:
He was looking for a missing person. What he found was a beautiful stranger. 

Looking for a fresh start, detective Jake Young headed south on a case that could help launch his PI business. He knew no amount of work would make him forget his tortured past, but maybe Faye Star could help. Caught up in Jake’s missing persons case, the distracting Faye was hiding a secret he was begging to find out. Expertly guiding him through the swamps, Jake’s job grew more complicated when someone started taking shots at the free-spirited beauty. As much as she protested she could take care of herself, Jake stepped in, refusing to admit how desperately he needed someone to save. Especially since he’d never be able to save himself…

Review:

I saw an episode of Burn Notice once where someone was lost in the Everglades and they were worried about panthers mauling the person. Panthers, as in, that’s not outside the norm of animals found in that area. Wowzers. Lena Diaz allots a huge amount of respect to this “unpredictable, dangerous, land-that-time-forgot section” of Florida. That’s almost incomprehensible to this city girl, but it lends itself perfectly to a missing persons case and a unique love story befitting the town of Mystic Glades. Please welcome back the wonderful Lena Diaz and her first book in the Marshland Justice series, Missing in the Glades.

Jake Young is trying his hand at PI work. Police work wasn’t boring per se, but he partnered up with his friend to expand his horizons. What a first case! Just when Jake catches a break and finds the abandoned vehicle of the victim, a shot rings out too close for comfort. Gorgeous or not, Jake’s going after the gypsy-looking woman with the amazing aim!

Faye Star is a free spirit with a degree in biology and killer survival skills to rival any local’s. When she sees Jake lurking through the ‘Glades, we quickly deduce that she’s worried about being associated with the case.

All she knew for sure was that a private investigator was trying to find Calvin. But he hadn’t mentioned anything about finding her. If someone from Tuscaloosa had hired him, they’d have wanted both her and Calvin, wouldn’t they? But Jake hadn’t tried to grab her…or kill her. Which meant he didn’t know about her connection with Calvin…”

Not only is Jake not trying to kill Faye, he’s killing himself trying to keep his hands, especially his heart, away from her! The attraction is a distraction, of the best kind. Faye may say she’s willing to collaborate on the investigation, but it’s, HE’s, too tempting to ignore. Jake can lose himself in Faye if he’d let his heart dictate, but his gut is telling him not to indulge…and his reasons aren’t entirely noble, either.

He looked down at her fingers working his belt loose, and that brief moment of lost contact between them was just enough for the haze of lust to allow his brain to switch back on. What was he doing? This was crazy, wrong on so many levels. She trusted him, and he was betraying her with every breath he took. He couldn’t cross this one last line. Once she found out the truth about him, she’d hate him forever.

Can withholding information, delivering bold-faced lies, and general deceit (with a healthy helping of subterfuge) be forgiven…all in the name of love? Neither Faye nor Jake can point fingers here. The plot deepens as thick as the marshland when new characters are introduced and seem beyond eager to find (silence?) Calvin. Is Calvin “an idiot tourist with no common sense and a lousy sense of direction” or is he a man with valuable information? Any just why does Faye care so much about what happens to him?!

Oh, this was good! Lena Diaz deftly threads a needle of intrigue throughout the story and subplots. We gain necessary insight, but delight in the unexpected outcomes! Jake and Faye surprised themselves by how quickly they clicked; their chemistry both compatible and steamy. Separating romantic emotions from duty was challenging Jake and Faye gravitated so naturally towards each other, but Ms. Diaz writes it with a fine tension; just with that bit of edge to keep you engaged.

In less than 250 pages, Missing in the Glades is fast-paced and meant to be concise. Do not confuse those features as a sign of mediocrity. I read a complete, fleshed out story unearthing secrets amidst an exotic backdrop. The wow factor is all Lena Diaz.

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Author

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