Under Pressure

Starred review from November 28, 2016
Launching the Body Armor contemporary romantic suspense series, bestseller Foster (Don’t Tempt Me) pulls out all the stops with precise plotting and deep characters. Leese Phelps, a former mixed martial arts fighter turned bodyguard for the Body Armor agency, rescues headstrong art teacher Catalina Nicholson from attackers, who know she’s in possession of a dangerous secret and are trying to silence her. She fears that her stepfather, a wealthy and politically connected CEO, hired Leese to kidnap her, but he soon puts her at ease. Leese takes Cat to Body Armor’s headquarters in Cincinnati, where the firm’s new owner, Sahara Silver, stashes the two in the firm’s luxurious penthouse for safekeeping. As danger grows, so do the passion and affection between Cat and Leese. Teasing and humorous dialogue, sizzling sex scenes, tender moments, and overriding tension show Foster’s skill as a balanced storyteller. She sets up a continuing story line for the series with the mystery of who murdered the firm’s founder, Sahara’s brother, but this thread never overwhelms the gripping main story, which will leave readers breathless.

December 1, 2016
A professional bodyguard can't take his eyes off a sexy new client, and it's not just because of the lucrative paycheck.Leese Phelps is a former mixed martial arts fighter who gave up professional competition for personal security. He was hired to protect Catalina Nicholson, a small but feisty art teacher. Catalina has been on the run since inadvertently witnessing several powerful, politically connected men (including her stepfather) conspire to cover up the murder of a young girl. When the hit man hired to find her takes a perverse personal interest, it's only a matter of time before she's captured, tortured, and killed. Catalina has learned to keep her guard up, but something about Leese makes her feel immediately safe. Leese too, is surprised by the protective instinct Catalina inspires in him. It isn't just physical for him, though, despite his internal conflict about not dating clients. Catalina makes him laugh and isn't afraid to butt heads with him. His professional boundaries fade as the chemistry between them heats up, and being confined to the isolation of a secure building does nothing to help the matter. The sex between them is as incendiary and slow as the buildup. After their location is compromised and Leese is grazed by a bullet, his boss, Sahara Silver, comes up with a plan to use Catalina as bait, over Leese's strong objections. With everything on the line, they're fighting for the potential of a future together as much as they're fighting for justice. Romantic thriller veteran Foster has been honing her skill for a long time, and it's clear she's at the top of her game here. Readers will find themselves, along with her colorful cast of supporting characters, rooting for a happy-ever-after.

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