When the Smoke Clears, by C. Chilove

Blurb: Lieutenant Colonel Brenden Jasper lives a life of secrets, danger, and clandestine missions. As commander of the most elite Black Ops unit in the world, nothing is more important to him than protecting the country he loves. But there’s a reason only the toughest, battle-tested, alpha men can call themselves members of the Black 2131 brotherhood. None but those in the highest realms of government even know of its existence, and it's Brenden's job to avoid emotional entanglements so he can keep it that way.

Dr. Paige Nichols has spent her life ruled by logic and reason, teaching and analyzing art history, so nothing could have prepared her for the completely overwhelming attraction-at-first-sight when she sets eyes on Brenden. Their chance encounter at a party opens her up to a tantalizing dark side she never knew she had—and leaves her wanting so much more. But a man with a dark side often comes with way too many secrets…ones that could put her life in danger.

Though their chemistry burns hotter than ever, when danger comes knocking on Paige’s door, Brenden will have to walk a fine line between duty, honor, and love.

Rating: 2 Stars

Review: I jumped at the opportunity to read this book based on the blurb, which I thought sounded really interesting. Unfortunately, the story itself fell flat for me personally. I didn't feel any real connection with or between the characters, and thus I had a hard time rooting for them. I also wasn't engaged in the story like I thought I would be, and I struggled to finish it. It's not that the book wasn't written well. It was. There weren't distracting grammatical errors or anything like just. It's just that I like very fast-paced storylines, and this wasn't it. I'm sure it will appeal to readers who don't mind a slower pace.

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The Secret Hook-Up, by Pippa Grant

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Webster's defines resting book face as follows: (a) the look a person gets when someone interrupts them while they're reading a really good book; and (b) the vacant stare of a reader who is mentally lost in their book world when reading isn't possible. Okay, fine. It's not in Webster's. But it should be.

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Resting Book Face

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