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For a book that started out sort of slow and meandering, this one really picked up the pace and had me hooked by the half-way mark. I think the initial problem I had with it wasn't in the characters, but the plot about gangs and legislation involving gang violence. I just wasn't all that hooked on the plot. But once the relationship between the hero and heroine started to develop, I got more involved.

Shay Bassett's a reformed wild child, now a responsible nurse volunteering her time at a youth center, manning a suicide hot-line in a gang infested part of Cleveland. Shay understands and can relate to the neighborhood youth; she had a wild and troubled teenage past, and problems with her military father who wasn't always there for her. After a particularly painful incident that nearly cost her her life, she slowly began to turn her life around. Now she's getting ready to testify in a Congressional hearing about the escalating gang activity in Cleveland, but it looks like someone wants to prevent that from happening.

Air Force Major Vince "Vapor" Deluca hasn't seen Shay since one horrible night that changed their lives seventeen years ago. Now his former mentor (and Shay's father) asks for his help keeping an eye on Shay. The FBI has been monitoring the increased gang activity in Cleveland and their possible ties to terrorists, and suspect Shay may somehow be involved. While Vince hasn't been in touch with Shay since his own former gang member days, he can't believe that she would be involved in terrorist activities. Since he credits Shay's father Don with turning his life around, he's happy to help. And he wouldn't mind getting a look at the girl who almost got to him all those years ago.

To make a long story short, Shay and Vince meet up again, find the fire and passion is still there after 17 years, but this time they do something about it. It doesn't take long before Shay is off the suspect list, especially when she keeps having to dodge attempts on her life. Vince vows to keep her safe, and their forced close contact ignites something in both of them that's been on the back burner all these years. He can't resist her long, sexy legs; she can't get enough of his shaved head, and intimidating, muscular, tatooed body. Hot bedroom scenes ensue. But Shay has some hangups about military men due to a rather tenuous relationship with her father. Will she trust Vince enough to let him into her heart and reveal the painful secrets of her past that he knows nothing about?

Like I said, I wasn't too interested in the whole gang activity plot. It was kind of ho-hum for me. And until the relationship between Shay and Vince started to heat up and get interesting, I was just biding my time. But then things started coming together with the plot and the relationships, and I couldn't put it down. I really admired Shay for turning her life around and making something of herself and wanting to help the teens of her hometown. I thought her relationship with her father was rather interesting; she had doubts about his love for her because he wasn't always there for her emotionally or physically, but he truly did care for her, just wasn't effective communicating that to her. Her father Don had his own rather hot romance with an alpha female FBI agent that at times upstaged the main romance of Shay and Vince. Fifty-six year old Don even had some hot bedroom moments himself! I also loved and admired Vince's character. Beneath his gruff and intimidating appearance was a kind heart and gentle soul--he was really one good guy. And Shay and Vince together really cooked. Perfectly matched couple.

The book built to a very suspenseful (if at times hard to believe) conclusion, involving a suicide bomber, a kidnapping, a birth, a smuggling of illegal arms into the country, and a wild ride in an experimental Air Force plane. Great fun.

Although there wasn't a whole lot of military action going on since Vince was on leave, the author did manage to work in the other members of his squadron, who assisted in some hi-tech surveillance of gang members. It was nice to get an update on Jimmy 'Hotwire' Gage and to anticipate the future stories yet to be told about the other guys.

If your're a fan of hot military romance, you'll probably enjoy this series. While it wasn't quite as good for me as the first book in the series, Defender, it did hold my interest once it got going and got better and better as I kept reading. A pretty solid if unspectacular effort. 4 stars.