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Review

4 stars!

This is a really great read! I went into it not knowing what to expect, and I was happily surprised. It’s the second in the True Heroes series, but can easily be read as a standalone, and is a gorgeous second-chance romance with lots of chemistry, a beautiful love story and a mystery/crime storyline, all told from the POV of a strong and instantly-loveable hero. I was very quickly sucked in and was so invested in these characters and their story that I struggled to put it down. I loved it!

Nick Farley is an FBI agent working undercover in a bar in downtown Chicago. He is investigating a drug ring with mafia connections, and is heavily wrapped up in his cover. While working at the bar one night he spies Angela Cavallo. Beautiful, smart and shy, she instantly captures his interest, but with his case winding up and Nick due to return to New York City imminently, he doesn’t want to start something that he won’t get a chance to explore. But when his best friend, Jase, hooks up with Angela’s cousin, Eva, it provides the opportunity for lots of interaction, and with their friends pushing them together at every opportunity and the mad sexual tension between them, it doesn’t take too long for Nick to make his move.

“It was a kiss, Nick…”
“It was amazing, Angela. Don’t tell me you didn’t feel the same … I want to do that again. And, I want to do much more.”

Nick and Angela have a freakish chemistry. Their connection is strong, and when they are unable to hold back from each other anymore, they share an incredible night together. One which they both know realise is the beginning of something special.

“I know there’s something between us that can’t be ignored. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never felt this way before.”
“Neither have I,” she admitted quietly.
“And I don’t have a clue what this could become or where it could lead, but I’d like to find out.”

So Nick returns to New York City with Angela due to follow him, but all too soon everything falls to pieces. It’s two years later when they finally see each other again, and it’s when Angela is bought in as a ‘person of interest’ in the case that Nick is investigating. Angela broke Nick’s heart when she broke up with him and seemingly disappeared, but seeing her again has all of that same emotion and longing flooding right back. But then she blow his world to pieces when she tells him that she has his one year old son.

I must admit, I’m a total sucker for this kind of story. I love a second chance romance, and throw a baby in, and I’m done! I am not, however, a fan of heroines hiding secret children from a hero. I think it’s one of the most despicable things a woman can do. However, Angela has her reasons, and once explained, I could understand them and I thought the way she handled herself and opened herself up completely to come clean and tell Nick everything was really well done. Her guilt, heartache and pain is really well portrayed, and I honestly believed that she wishes it all could have been so different.

And Nick’s part of the story is fantastically written. The book is written primarily from his POV, with only a few flashback chapters from Angela’s perspective, and I LOVE getting his view on things. The turmoil that he goes through having Angela back in his life is so well explored – he has loved her all of this time, and his need and desire for her is almost overwhelming at times, but he is so incredibly, and justifiably furious at her, and his heartbreak is compounded by everything that he missed in their time apart. I could feel his pain, and how torn he was. And seeing him with baby Nicholas was almost enough to make my ovaries explode. Here is this big, gruff FBI investigator with a shattered heart who is absolutely blown away by this tiny one year old. He instantly falls in love with his son, and seeing Nick’s wonder and watching them together was so, so beautiful!

The anger toward his mother I’d been consumed with slowly dissipated with each moment I held my son. None of it mattered anymore, not the lies, the secrecy, none of it. The only thing that mattered was the tiny person I clutched in my arms.

Their love story develops beautifully! Wanting to put all of their secrets behind them, Angela is completely up-front with Nick about the fact that she still loves him. Nick knows he still has feelings for her, so it’s just a matter of him working through it all and figuring out what he wants, and it’s a beautiful journey watching him come to his decision and then move forward to get his HEA. It’s beautifully swoony, and SO freaking functional! Seriously, these two talk about everything, and their honesty with each other is refreshing and wonderful to read.

“I have nothing to hide from you any longer, you know everything. I’m just waiting for you to catch up.”

“I wanted to hate you … I simply couldn’t…and now, I just want to make up for every single day we were apart, start over, start something amazing, start what I knew we could be together.”

But further complicating their reunion is the case that Angela was questioned over. It’s all tied into their past together and there are a lot of questions still unanswered and potential dangers to face. It also impacts on Nick’s role in the FBI as the former career man starts to adjust his priorities. It gives an interesting twist to the story and provides some excitement, and I liked the way it all played out.

This was one of those all-encompassing reads. The multiple storylines are blended well, and I was totally engaged the whole way through. But, I’m a romance reader, and bottom line, that’s what I was wanting, and I wasn’t disappointed. Nick and Angela’s love story builds beautifully from their initial intense attraction to a soul-deep love that has a lot of hurdles to overcome before they can get their happy ending. It could have easily dissolved into stupid behaviour and unnecessary angst, but they managed their situation perfectly, communicating well, never holding anything back, and I love that!

I also love the side characters, Jase and Eva bring a great lightness to the story and Jase, in particular, is so freaking funny, and I loved how supportive he was. There is also a catch up with the couple from the previous book, and what I’m hoping is a lead in to the next book.

This was a really enjoyable read. It’s my first by A.M. Madden, and I’m definitely looking forward to more.

4 stars.

An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

The True Heroes series