Risky Desires
Author: Kendall Talbot
Reviewer: Sophia Rose
Rating: A+
What I’m Talking About:
Indy was a larger than life character and Tyler, something of an enigma in the first Wolf Security Series book, but now they are on a deep sea salvage adventure up against the mysterious evil inheritor of a super criminal’s empire. Kendall Talbot writes spicy romantic adventure like nobody’s business and shows her stuff once again in Risky Desires.
Risky Desires is the second of the Wolf Security series, and this series follows up on the stupendous Alpha Tactical Ops series. While technically, this second series can be jumped into without having read the first series. Each book presents a standalone new couple getting their romance and a conflict for them to face that is contained within each book. So, I suppose one could make out okay jumping into this book without reading prior books, but I find there is a strong connection within the larger cast of characters and the overall series arc and the couples are generally characters who were introduced in prior books.
Indiana Smith, her dad Old Smithy, and their salvage ship are notorious in the local waters. They are experts, but don’t like cops and shade on the rules at times. But, Aria and her Wolf team along with law enforcement have no one else to turn to when Chui’s yacht needs to be brought up and thoroughly inspected to find out just what someone has been willing to kill to keep out of the hands of others and acquire for themselves.
Indy dreams of diving a lost ship and she thinks she’s found it only to have an old rival show up. A stupid, impulsive act on her part lands her in a position with the authorities. She either does a job for them or sits in jail for a long time while her rival dives the wreck. She even has to take on a detestable local police detective as bodyguard for the job. Indy’s got her reasons and those slowly come out and are dealt with. Tyler’s not so bad and even Old Smithy gives him a chance.
Tyler screwed up on his previous undercover job and now is far from all that with a new name and new work on the northeast coast in a small town. He has to stay off the radar a certain vengeful mobster’s wife and he’s still working through the grief of what his mistake cost him when he ends up on guard detail aboard a salvage ship with a hostile woman who would as soon deep six him as look at him.
A high-octane adventure that once it got rolling had some fabulous action-suspense sequences and a build of romance that worked great in tandem. Kendall Talbot has a gift for developing her characters and romance while still pacing out a taunt, building plot for both the immediate book and the series. This one ends with progress made on the overall plot and a solid finish to Tyler and Indy’s romance. I can’t wait to see what comes next as they edge nearer to getting to the heart of the mystery surrounding Chui’s successor.
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating that I highly recommend this author’s books and this series in particular.
My Rating: A+ Personal Favorite
Sophia Rose
About the Book:
She can’t forget her past. He’s running from his.
But to have a future, they’ll need to trust each other.
For two decades, fearless marine salvage expert Indiana Smith has been haunted by the memory of her mother’s brutal murder. Relentlessly pursuing her mother’s killers, she’s lost faith in the police who gave up long ago. Behind her brazen personality lies a vow never to trust a cop again.
Detective Tyler Kingsley, hardened by years undercover to infiltrate Melbourne’s criminal underworld, carries the scars and guilt of a disastrous showdown that left a target on his back. Moving to North Queensland, he finds himself entangled in a criminal investigation that rivals the dangers he tried to escape.
When Tyler is assigned to protect Indiana during a perilous salvage mission, they face a deadly adversary intent on recovering secret cargo hidden in a sunken multi-million-dollar yacht. Indiana is infuriated by the dedicated cop who is frustratingly helpful, annoyingly handsome, and so damn neat.
Sparks fly between them, and as they navigate their differences, unearthing both sunken secrets and their undeniable attraction, enemies close in.
Will they open their hearts and trust each other, or become just two more names on the cold case list?
Release Date: June 28, 2024
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: Wolf Security #2
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Format(s): paperback (350 pages), e-book
Book Source: Author
Purchase Info:
Amazon (affiliate link)