Hotshot - by Julie Garwood

 Hotshot by Julie Garwood available August 6, 2013

This book had more of a thriller/suspense story going on than I usually read. I must say, I liked it. I’ll have to keep my eye open for more of the same. I’d seen Julie Garwood’s books around for a long time now and have added her to my TBR (to be read) list in the past but just never seemed to get to any of her books. That will change! I am definitely going to put her higher on my list and see if she is able to grab my interest with another story as much as she did with Hotshot.

The heroine, Peyton Lockhart, is a likeable young woman. She has had more than her fair share of bad luck with guys and the same bad luck; it would seem, with jobs. The story line is the good old “damsel in distress” but given that the hero is an FBI agent, could you expect anything less? Peyton is however not the typical pathetic weepy weak “damsel” that is the norm in so many books. Peyton is able to hold her own in a way that makes me pump my fist and holler “You go girl!” Still, it is swoon-worthy when childhood friend and FBI agent, Finn McBain, comes to her aid on several occasions. Of course the fact that he is hot-hot-hot and super good at his job (hence the nickname Hotshot) would certainly make any girl enjoy having him come to her rescue.

The story has several different conflicts woven in and that kept it interesting but did lead to it being somewhat less believable. I found myself thinking that there is no way one person can handle this much bad luck happening to them and not find themselves crawled into a ball and asking for anxiety medicine. Maybe if Peyton had a vice (kick boxing?) that she could take it all out on, then the poor girl could have believably handled all that was thrown her way.

All in all I liked the book and will recommend it to anyone who likes romance mixed with action, drama and suspense.

I was provided a ARC of this book by Penguin Group Dutton in exchange for an honest review.