Nail biting suspense and swoony romance

Phew. Rachel Grant is the queen of romantic suspense. The slow winding up of the tension with small reprieves followed by an ever tighter wind up is pure deliciousness in this book. Ah. Who’s the bad guy? What’s going to happen next? Will the romance pan out? This was another unputdownable book. Brie is the daughter of an uber rich oil tycoon. She split from her family a decade ago and works as a lowly USAID worker trying to make up for some of the damage her family has caused. She is currently working in South Sudan. Bastian is an Army Ranger and an indigenous person. He is stationed in nearby Djibouti. He initially came in contact with Brie a decade ago when she still was working for her family and trying to take his tribe’s land. When he meets her again in Africa, he is unaware she is no longer an oil princess. Afterwards, he feels an unexpectedly intense connection to her so when she is taken hostage, he insists on joining the rescue team. The rescue is just the start of the suspense and romance as they try to make it back to safety, solve the mystery of who is trying to harm Brie, and try to successfully navigate the political and corporate machinations. The book has a little bit of everything just like you would expect from this genre - sweet moments, spicy times, real life issues, imperfect characters, dangerous moments, mystery, uber protective men, secrets, plot twists, painful pasts, evil actors, family drama, and all consuming love. The story also included witty dialogue, three dimensional characters who grow, and an engaging storyline. I am excited to read more in this series.