Into the Dark [Mass Market Paperback]

Dallas Garrett returned from Jolo as a changed man. Though he knew it was for the best, when Amy Walker disappeared from his life, he felt a big gaping hole inside himself. Fighting his own demons, Dallas is shocked when Amy turns up on his doorstep, soaking wet and exhausted. Though barely a day went by that he didn't think about her, Dallas feels a sense of impending doom that he can't brush aside.

Dallas saved Amy once. She goes to him knowing that he is the sole person that can keep her safe. On a mission of revenge, Amy is determined to find her grandfather, Edward Walker, and kill him. Using mind control experiments on Amy's mother, Edward had Amy kidnapped by the terrorist group that held her captive for over six months. While needing his support, Amy doesn't want Dallas anymore involved that he already is. She soon realizes that Dallas will be impossible to brush off, even if she wanted to.

The long awaited conclusion of Amy and Dallas finds the two in Argentina where Amy looks for the man responsible for ruining her mother's life and almost ruining her own and Dallas just tries to keep Amy safe. Introducing an intriguing new character, Gerard has surely kept the door open for this series even though it is an end to E.D.E.N. I was thoroughly satisfied to the conclusion of these two characters.

I may be a man, and not just a man, but a stay-at-home daddy man with quintuplets, but when I am not otherwise feeding, changing, bathing, comforting, watching over, or cleaning up after the quintuplets, I am squeezing in the latest thriller-romance by Cindy Gerard, the excitement of her writing the only thing keeping me conscious as my bone-weary body slowly shuts down in an effort to conserve the last dregs of energy barely keeping me alive.

"Into the Dark" concludes "The Bodyguards" hexology with all the excitement, intrigue and passion of the earlier books and more. The series chronicles the adventures of the members of E.D.E.N Inc., a West Palm Beach security firm run by three brothers, their sister, and two comrades in arms. Hmmm... four siblings, not all born at once. That must be heaven. All six E.D.E.N. members have military or intelligence backgrounds, and some carry personal histories that left scars deeper than any battle wound. My own history was relatively happy and carefree until my wife and I decided to start a family and her loins proved more fertile than a dachshund's.

Dallas Garrett, the fastidious brother who is always prepared, finds that his feelings cannot be made neat and orderly as he and Amy Walker, a strong yet vulnerable client, track the clues that will lead to the reasons behind her kidnapping and uncover surprising connections and even greater danger in "Into the Dark". All I ever uncover are dirty diaper after dirty diaper, each with a nice little surprise of its own. A nice, stinky surprise.

Although six months have passed by, Amy Walker can't shake the thoughts of her kidnapping or Dallas, who, along with E.D.E.N., rescued her from terrorists holding her on a remote Philippine island. I wish somebody would rescue me. No, I'm kidding. I love the quints. I love the quints. I just keep telling myself that. Dallas offers Amy his help, not promising any more, but even the best-laid plans are subject to the whims of Fate, Desire, and nefarious secret organizations that will use any means to control and manipulate men for their own, foul ends. Some of the quints also have very foul ends, if you know what I mean. Once the action gets going, Gerard matches the kinetic drive of the action with the kinetic drive of her prose, and the descriptions, dialogue and danger come in hard and fast.

"Into the Dark" moves with cinematic clarity and noir-edged intensity. The plot suspense will have you on your toes, but the romantic suspense will keep you on your pinkies. I have no idea what that means. I think my blood sugar is dangerously low. You will feel the very opposite of low, however, when you engage Gerard's latest romantic thriller, filled with uncontainable desire and dangerous enemies who must be overcome if our heroes are to avoid being pulled, dare I say it, into the dark.

When Dallas Garrett and his brothers embarked on a rescue mission to the Philippines, they never expected to liberate another prisoner. Tortured and violated, Amy Walker's strength and spirit touches something deep within Dallas. Both battle scarred, they share an unspoken bond. While Dallas wants to protect Amy, he can't promise her anything more. Amy has more pressing matters anyway. Even though she has her suspicions, she needs to learn for certain who masterminded her abduction...before they try again.

Once back in the States, Amy quietly vanishes out of Dallas' life. Now six months later, Amy is closer to finding her answers, but the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her quest becomes. Running out of options, she turns to the only person she trusts, Dallas. In the months since Amy's disappearance, Dallas has not forgotten her. When she crashes back into his life, the urge to protect her is just as strong, yet Amy isn't the same woman he saved. The flare of attraction the two first felt is now a blaze that neither can control. Thrust into a conspiracy bigger than either imagined, can Amy and Dallas find a safe way out of their troubles? Can either deny the love and passion they both feel?

Ever since reading To the Brink and getting my first peek at Dallas and Amy, I have been dying to read their story. With Into the Dark, Cindy Gerard delivers a heart-pounding, sensuous thriller that's totally worth the wait! Amy has evolved since I first met her. She is a strong, capable woman who's ready for anything. Tortured by his past, Dallas isn't sure he has anything to offer Amy, but he proves time and time again what a good and worthy man he is. The simmering sensuality that builds between the pair boils over in the most captivating way. I'll admit that at first, I had a hard time buying the secret cabal plotting world domination, but then Dallas wasn't believing it at the start either. Quickly however, I was swept up in the adventure, and Ms. Gerard made the story work. I also loved the secondary characters that teamed up with Dallas and Amy. Although this is the last Bodyguards book, I hope those two get their own series.

Reading like a big-budget Hollywood action-adventure, Into the Dark offers all the thrills and chills any romance lover could want! While I highly recommend Into the Dark, I would suggest folks also read the third Bodyguards book, To the Brink first. To the Brink provides a good bit of back-story and makes Into the Dark that much better.

Cheryl reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

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