Crossfire – Lynette Eason

Crossfire Lynette Eason
Crossfire by Lynette Eason
Also by this author: Collateral Damage, Acceptable Risk, Active Defense, Active Defense, Life Flight, Critical Threat, Countdown, Double Take
Series: Extreme Measures #2
Published by Revell on August 1, 2022
Genres: Fiction, Christian, Romance, Suspense
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five-stars

"FBI negotiator Julianna James has never lost a hostage-until now. As the death toll rises and the killer's motive becomes clear, Julianna knows anyone she loves will caught in the crossfire. It will take all her courage, and the help of Former Army Ranger Clay Fox, to bring this negotiation to an end"--

Once again, Lynette Eason has blown me out of the water. She took my heart through a roller coaster of emotions with Crossfire. Rapid paced with enough mystery to keep my mind spinning, this ride was one I desperately wanted to reach the end of…while at the same time, get back in line to read it all over again. Typically, I have some negative feedback of some sort, even if it’s minor. With Crossfire by Lynette Eason, I can’t think of anything. Not a single darn word. It’s probably because I was so drawn into the story that I couldn’t consider anything but Clay and Julianna. And, truth be told, I didn’t want to.

Romance books have stereotypes. This one did, too. Two characters with no prior association, meeting for the first time in dire circumstances. Sparks of attraction flew, but they didn’t let the tiny flames consume them. Instead, Eason wove the romance flawlessly into the plotline. It doesn’t distract from the story; instead, it adds another element that makes Crossfire even better. There’s no dramatic profession of love from either side (is that a spoiler?), but they feel fate pulling them together. And Clay and Julianna are willing to explore it…in time. There’s no rush to the altar or an engagement, thank you Lynette Eason. Crossfire is a slow burn to a healthy, growing relationship.

I loved seeing old characters return (hi, Penny and Holt), along with a couple of their closest friends, who I am sure will eventually receive love stories of their own. Eason described things without overdoing (or underdoing) it. She gives readers glimpses into the minds of the book’s major players, including an unknown individual whose true significance Eason does not reveal until close to the novel’s end. I enjoyed Crossfire’s tension and suspense, but honestly? I think I appreciated the subplot surrounding this particular character the most. Above the excitement, romance, and everything else. I’ll let everyone else discover why!

Crossfire by Lynette Eason is a model for the romantic suspense genre. After all the Eason books I’ve read, I’m starting to believe I should just say she’s one of the best authors of the genre today. There hasn’t been a single Eason book I haven’t enjoyed. Crossfire is no exception. Back to the roller coaster analogy: Some have seatbelts. Others have lap bars. For this one, you’ll want the shoulder/chest contraptions, because this ride never stops. It’ll steal the breath from your lungs all the way to the finish.

five-stars