Zone of Action by Cathy Skendrovich – a Review

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple

Description:
Former terror cell expert Audrey Jenkins has seen enough death and destruction to last a lifetime. When she uncovers her ex, Brett, a higher-ranking officer in her unit, selling military secrets, she turns him in and returns to the simpler life she has embraced since leaving the army.  CID Special Agent Cam Harris is a career military man with a strong sense of duty. When a military prisoner who once saved his life in Afghanistan escapes while in his custody, he requests the assignment to track him down. Cam’s manhunt leads him to Audrey’s door. His prisoner—her ex—will resurface here, he’s sure of it. The feisty woman wants nothing to do with hunting down her ex, but when a terror cell she’s all-too-familiar with launches a deadly attack on army intelligence soldiers and officers, she knows it’s Brett.  Helping Cam is the right thing to do. But the attraction burning between them may be the mistake that gets her and Cam killed…

Review:

Zone of Action by Cathy Skendrovich is part of her In The Zone series.

“I’ll kill you for this, Audrey Jenkins. Sleep with one eye  open, because I’ll be coming for you, bitch. This isn’t over  by a long shot.” Excerpt from “Zone of Action”

Those words constantly haunt her, and they were uttered by her ex!! 

Audrey had noticed her boyfriend acting really weird, and put it down to maybe an affair, that she could have coped with, what she couldn’t accept was the fact Brett was a traitor, to sell out his country was reprehensible, he had to be punished! And facing him in court took guts, he stopped being the man she loved. It was time to move on….. 

CID Special Agent Cameron “Cam” Harris wanted to give his friend the benefit of the doubt. He surely couldn’t be a traitor?!  That benefit of the doubt turns out to be the biggest mistake of his career….. 

Audrey is living the quiet life, serving her country as a terrorist expert has ended, she’s now a owner of a flower shop. 

Having Brett escape him burned Cam, his friend was a traitor, he was going to prison, and Cam wanted to take him there. And now it’s his job to recapture him and put him back in handcuffs. 

He’s almost certain Brett will go back and kill his girlfriend, but Cam thinks there is more to it than that, did she hear something she wasn’t suppose to? Or did she have something that Brett needed? Well he was going to find Audrey and ask her. She was either going to help him, or she’s bait!!

The attraction between Cam and Audrey is a slow burn romance, she isn’t ready for anyone yet, and certainly not the best friend of her traitorous ex!! But as they work together to find Brett, they can’t help but become closer. But is Cam using Audrey as bait? Will she be able to lure him out? And if Brett takes the bait, will they be able to stop him before he hurts anyone else? 

Zone of Action is a fast paced action story. A few twists along the way. I don’t usually read mysteries, but I’m glad I did with this one. 

Cam is ex army, a good career cut short after a good friend dies in the field. Taking his training in the army, he becomes an agent that investigates service men and women. He never once thought he’d have to take his best friend to prison. 

Audrey is also ex military, so she doesn’t scare easily, which is a good job. Her being hunted by an ex would frighten most people. They work well together, find clues, working out where Brett might be, and what his game plan is. 

The style of writing was really good, very descriptive, flowed really well. Nothing seemed wasted, I didn’t get that feeling of page filling.  Secondary characters Zack and Elena were great, Elena is best friend and coworker to Audrey, their friendship is lovely, very solid. Especially when Brett burns down the flower shop!  I liked Zack, very down to earth, liked his sense of humour (hoping he gets a book) 

If you like your romance with a heavy dose of military and mystery, then this book is for you. 

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy provided by Publisher