Hot Pursuit (To Catch a Thief, #1)
by Kay Marie
Publication date: August 27th, 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
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How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days meets White Collar in this sassy and sweet romantic comedy, new from bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis, writing as Kay Marie.All Jolene Carter has ever wanted is a bakery of her own. There’s only one problem. Her father, Robert Carter, is a world-renowned art thief and she’s, well, sort of his protégé. But he’s promised her this next job in New York will be their last, and she won’t let anyone get in the way of her dreams… especially not the distractingly delicious FBI agent hot on her tail.
Agent Nate Parker has been on the Robert Carter case for years, and if rumors of the aging criminal’s retirement are true, this might be his last chance to nail him. With the legacy of his late father in the back of his mind, the stakes are more personal than anyone realizes. He won’t let anything stand in the way of justice… especially not the red-headed vixen who keeps giving him the slip.
He’s a cop who’d never bend. She’s a con who’ll never break. But all’s fair in love and larceny…
~BOOK REVIEW for "Hot Pursuit"~
****(4) out of 5 Stars!
This book was
a delightful, rather light and funny, but still somehow suspenseful romance
tale about two very unlikely candidates for a relationship who somehow just
click with one another.
When first they meet, Nate is such a stickler for the
rules and proper procedure and all of that. He doesn't seem as though
he'd even be able to contemplate how to break the rules. He even keeps
his white shirt buttoned all the way up... while on a boat, supposedly
fishing... in the Bahamas. Nate has a traumatic past which we only very
slowly begin to learn about as the story progresses, which very much explains
his dedication to the job and obsession with apprehending his latest
targets.
Jo on the other hand, is a
total free spirit, not easily contained or directed by anyone, even
herself. She does a lot of things that seem rather foolhardy, maybe even
dangerous for her. Although many of them do prove to be very calculated
acts of subterfuge. Basically, Jo and her little gang are in a league way
above the field where the FBI agents are playing. Unfortunately, they are
also interacting with players from the Russian Mafia that Jo was totally
unaware of prior to the events of this book.
"The target is back on the move. She's crossing the street. Heading east. Turning a corner. I lost visual. I repeat, I lost visual."
Wait...
Heading east?
Turning a corner?
Nate's eyes flew open.
A gentle knock drummed on his window.
His head fell to the side slowly, reluctantly.
"Morning, Agent Parker, Agent Alvarez," Jo said with a wave, looking at them over the rim of her sunglasses, a grin across her red lips. "Want a cronut?"
Jo seems to know just how to push all of Nate's buttons to get a rise out of him. And eventually she works her way underneath his skin enough to pull him a bit out of his oppressive shell. In just a short time, they develop a genuine friendship, in addition to the intense physical attraction that they have for each other. They actually have a lot more in common - instances of childhood trauma - than either would have thought. But at the end of the day, he is still a law enforcement officer and she is still a criminal. It doesn't seem there is anyway that ever the twain shall meet. Luckily, after a lot of back and forth, good and bad, hit and miss, they do come to a point where they are able to put aside their differences and focus on each other.
Then her messaging app.
Sent a text — What do you think?
The image was loading. Damn things took forever.
"Do we recognize the number she's communicating with? Is it Carter? Ryder?" The boss's scratchy voice came through the line — he was talking to the tech team, not directly into his mic. But Nate shifted his attention to the ten-digit number, reading it twice as his brows pushed together.
Wait a minute —
The phone in his pocket buzzed.
Goddamn that woman.
"It's my phone, sir," Nate grumbled. "Somehow she got my number."
The secondary characters too - Jo's dad, their business colleague, Nate's partner especially - are all interesting characters as well, and provide a bit more background and depth for these players. Even Jo's online baking gal pals seem like real people with very distinctive personalities, whom I'd definitely like to learn more about.
The biggest drawback
to the story for me was less on the romance side and more in the whole mystery
and suspense arena. While the planning and execution of the heist seemed
flawless, the back story for all of the deeper goings on here seemed very thin
and not especially believable. The extreme measures of the near ending
also didn't strike me as awfully authentic either. Still, it was a good book, lots of fun banter and interaction, as well as some thought-provoking mystery elements.
(Oh, and I did feel that the name Jo gave her treat invention — coopies — was totally ridiculous. Just made me think of cowpies!)
(Oh, and I did feel that the name Jo gave her treat invention — coopies — was totally ridiculous. Just made me think of cowpies!)
I understand this is the first in a new series, and I am anxious to read the next installment and see where things go, presumably with some or all of these same characters.
I received a free eBook copy of this title from Xpresso Book Tours,
and have willingly provided an honest review.
~
Author Bio:Kaitlyn Davis, a bestselling author with over a quarter of a million books sold, writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie. Publishers Weekly has said, “Davis writes with confidence and poise,” while USA Today has recommended her work as “must-read romance.”
Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she’s not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found playing fetch with her puppy, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her – about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general – you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com.
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#HotPursuit #ToCatchAThief
Thank you so much for joining my tour and for this wonderful review!! So glad you enjoyed my book :)
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