THE NEGOTIATOR (GAMES PEOPLE PLAY #2.5)

Lauren Gallagher’s life changed almost three years ago. After her husband disappeared at sea, she was left with a failing pleasure boat company and more than a few secrets. Now, after years spent rebuilding the business and paying off the pile of debts, she finally feels in control. But when she finds her husband, actually dead, on the floor, she becomes the leading suspect in his murder investigation.

Garrett McGrath wants Lauren in his bed, not his heart. He doesn’t do emotions, but every time he sees her, holding himself back gets harder and harder. When Lauren comes under suspicion for killing her previously presumed-dead husband, he knows he has to help her, any way he can.

But as the danger becomes more intense and Garrett and Lauren grow closer than either planned, they’re in danger of losing everything…including their hearts.

Release Date: November 14, 2017

Avon Impulse

Games People Play #2.5

Romantic Suspense

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza's Review:

With The Negotiator we finally got Garrett's story. I absolutely adore him and am pretty sure I might have squealed a bit when I saw we were getting his story.

As The Negotiator is a novella length story, it is really set at a fast pace and I felt like the pacing was absolutely perfect. I felt like Lauren and Garrett had been circling around each other long enough and needed to move forward. With the reappearance of her husband, and his subsequent death, Garrett was the perfect person to help her solve the mystery.

I loved the banter and chemistry between Lauren and Garrett. I knew it would take a strong woman to make him lose his heart and Lauren is just the woman for the job. She is such a smart and strong woman who really has taken care of herself with help from no one for too long. Part of what I loved about Lauren was when she knew she was outside her abilities she had no problem asking Garrett for help.

I did figure out the real killer of her husband pretty early on, but the elements of suspense were still strong without overshadowing any of the romantic times between Lauren and Garrett. I love when a romantic suspense has such a perfect balance in the story. I highly recommend The Negotiator as well as the other books in the Games People Play series.

Rating: 4 stars (B)