Blogging by Liza: THE THING ABOUT LOVE

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

THE THING ABOUT LOVE

Two undercover FBI agents can hide who they are from everyone but each other in the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Suddenly One Summer.  

FBI agents Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd have a past. The former lawyer and cocky Army ranger clashed during their training at Quantico, gladly going their separate ways after graduating from the Academy. Six years later, the last thing either of them expects is to run into each other again–assigned to work as partners in a high-profile undercover sting.  

For both of them, being paired with a former rival couldn’t come at a worse time. Recently divorced from a Hollywood producer and looking for a fresh start, Jessica is eager to prove herself at her new field office. And John is just one case away from his dream assignment to the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team. In order to nail a corrupt Florida politician, they’ll have to find a way to work as a team–a task that becomes even trickier when they’re forced to hole up at a romantic, beachfront resort as part of the investigation. Suddenly, the heat behind their nonstop sparring threatens to make the job a whole lot more complicated. . .

Release Date: April 18, 2017

Berkley Romance

Contemporary Romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza’s Review:

I have been a fan of Julie James, since I read her very first book and especially love her FBI/US Attorney series. The Thing About Love is a stand-alone story and not in the FBI/US Attorney series, and I loved getting to see so many characters from the series.

I really loved both Jessica Harlow and John Shepard as individuals and loved we had FBI partners for this book. The animosity that was there from their academy days only made me laugh harder as they were paired together. I especially loved the she said/he said chapters of the book seeing how each of them viewed their interactions. I thought Jessica and John made great FBI partners and though it took me a bit longer to buy them as a couple, their banter was always so much fun, I was able to see them making it as a couple.

It was fun to see how each approached the case they were assigned. I loved watching them initially try to one-up the other before settling down to actually being partners. I liked seeing them grow closer the more time they spent together and also loved they finally discussed the past and talked about how each of them perceived the situation. I think had they not done so, they could never have made it for more than a hook-up. With their initial animosity, even with the pretty intense chemistry, I was slow to accept they could make it work before they started actually listening to one another. I liked the slow build to them becoming a couple, and can't wait to see them interact in future FBI/US Attorney books.

The Thing About Love was a wonderful stand-alone story from Julie James. I've missed her voice with no new book last year and am happy to say she has come back just as strong as ever. I highly suggest The Thing About Love as well as all of the backlist from Julie James.

Rating: 4 Stars (B)

EXCERPT

Steeling himself, John turned around and smiled as Jessica approached. “Yes, Agent Harlow. How can I be of service?”

In response to his dry tone, she threw him a glare so cold it could’ve frozen all nine circles of Dante’s Hell. Fittingly, just nine of the many places he would rather be than stuck working with her on this investigation.

“Look, I’m not thrilled about this, either.” Keeping her voice low, she came to a stop next to him at the elevator bank. “I thought you were supposed to be on the Hostage Rescue Team already.”

“And I thought you were supposed to be in L.A.”

There was a quick flash in her eyes before she shrugged off his question. “Change of plans.”

The elevator arrived at their floor, and they both stepped inside. She hit the button for the seventh floor, where the public corruption squad was located. Standing on the opposite side, he pressed the button for floor five.

They faced off as the doors shut. She folded her arms across her chest and studied him with those crystalline blue eyes that could so cleverly mask her emotions.

As he knew well.

“We’re going to have to figure this out,” she said. “We’re supposed to be business partners in this.”

Thank you, yes, being a professional, he was aware of that. He took a step closer. “It’s called “undercover” work, Harlow. If I can pretend to be a gun-buying, murder-for-hire thug, I think I can handle playing some rich investor-type who wants to skirt a few measly zoning laws.” Even a rich investor-type who was apparently masochistic enough to get in bed with the likes of her.

Professionally-speaking.

“Measly zoning laws?” she repeated.

Ooh, now he’d gone and pissed her off. How nice it was, really, that they could pick up like this, right where they’d left off.

She drew in closer, tilting her head back to meet his gaze. He was over a foot taller than her, although he noticed that she was heightening a bit with those expensive-looking three-inch heels she wore.

“Our target in this investigation is the mayor of the thirteenth largest city in the United States. That’s a pretty big deal in my book.” She gestured to his facial scruff and hair. “And while I appreciate that this . . . Sons of Anarchy motif you’ve got going might ingratiate yourself with the gun-buying, murder-for-hire, organized-crime thugs of the world, that’s not quite going to fly with this sting operation.”

“’Thirteenth largest city in the United States?’” he scoffed. “Just how many hours did you spend reviewing the case files last night?”

She smiled sweetly as the elevator arrived at her floor. “Enough to get the jump on you.”

Then the doors sprang open, and she gave him a friendly wave, once again stepping into the role of Ms. Congeniality. “So glad we got to catch up like this, Agent Shepherd. We’ll talk again soon.”

He watched her stride confidently down the hallway as the elevator doors closed between them.

Enough to get the jump on you.

Not for long, sweetheart.

Time for him to get cracking on that case file.