Run the Risk [Mass Market Paperback]

Thanks to the publisher, Harlequin, and NetGalley for the chance to read this early!

Like all of Ms. Foster books it was packed with action, and a smoking hot romance. If you are/were a fan of her Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor
series - then you will love this as they are very similar in style. I loved reading Run the Risk, book #1 in the Love Undercover series by Lori Foster.

The romance between Detective Logan Riske and Pepper Yates is smoking hot. The actual plotline of the book revolves around the unsolved murder of Logan's best friend and a few other subplots. Logan is determined to locate Rowdy, Pepper's brother, even if he has to use Pepper to do it. We also get introduced to several WONDERFUL new characters; and thankful the author has already scheduled future books for them.

~Reese Bareden, Logan's Partner, releasing in Spring 2013 his story - Bare It All (2nd book in the series).
P.S. If your read Lori's Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series then heroine, Alice, maybe be familiar - she was in Book#2, Trace of Fever.
~Rowdy Yates, Pepper's Brother, releasing in Fall 2013 his story - Getting Rowdy (3rd book in the series).
~Dash Riske, Logan's Brother, releasing in 2013 his story - Dash (4th book in the series).

Detective Logan Riske goes undercover as a construction worker to attempt to find Rowdy Yates, through his sister, Pepper. She is using an alias, Sue Meeks, and is disguised as plain and frumpy. Rowdy is believed to be a witness to Logan's best friend's murder. Logan decides to use any means necessary to establish a connection with Pepper who takes him at his word when he pursues a romantic relationship. He now worries that once he's accomplished his mission Pepper won't forgive him for the deception.

The beginning of this story is its weakest as we are barely introduced to the main characters and the focus is on Logan trying to get close to Pepper. We have no idea why she's being sheltered by her brother or the details of her personal story. It's obvious that she's hiding behind a frumpy disguise and her initial relationship with Logan is bizarre. It would be okay if this aspect of the story moved at a quicker pace but it took much too long to develop. But, if you can make it through this tedium, the story then shifts into gear at almost breakneck speed and really delivers!

As if being undercover isn't stressful enough, Logan also has to contend with departmental corruption and isn't certain who he can trust. When the inevitable happens and Pepper realizes she was duped by Logan, her reaction makes for some pretty steamy moments as she uses unconventional methods to exact her revenge. Logan's brother, Dash, and his partner, Reese, also play major roles in the case and add humor and intrigue. Not knowing who to trust adds another element of excitement as Logan attempts to protect Pepper from those who have an interest in her disappearing.

Despite its slow start, this story has game and I'm glad I hung in there. It all makes sense after awhile and I was constantly off balance, trying to deduce the good guys from the bad ones. The romance between Pepper and Logan was pretty interesting and worked in the long run, even though you just knew he was going to be in trouble once she figured out he wasn't who he claimed to be initially.

This is a pretty good start to the beginning of a new series by Foster. I'm already waiting impatiently for the next book based on how this one ended (sorry, can't say any more without spoiling it for you). The other men and women introduced in this story are very appealing and I want more.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley)

2.5 stars

A well written but otherwise pretty run-of-the-mill romantic suspense that would have earned at least one extra star from me, had the heroine been more likable or dropped her pointless charade at trying to hide her apparently Pamela Anderson-like 'assets', sooner. Her speech about taking out Morton's men, was laughable to say the least, and shows her for the silly, ninja-wanna-be chick she trully is, rather than the strong, fearless woman she thinks herself as:

"She settled her purse in her lap and, without further prompting, said, "I was counting on you to get there in time, but if you didn't, I would have killed them."
"Them?" Logan asked.
"Morton Andrews. His bully boys." She rubbed her palms over the denim covering her thighs. "Anyone in his circle who got in my way."

When you read such words from an untrained woman's mouth who's carrying only a knife, unless she's named Xhex or Kate Daniels, you can only wonder how's she stayed alive for so long or if she's lost her marbles somewhere along the way.

Also, I don't get, how Pepper after her transformation from homely to a supermodel, said that she was glad to be back to her real self once more. Since, based on her admittance, she used to downplay her looks constantly while working on bars and clubs so as not to attract male attention (yes, she was THAT beautiful it would seem), when did she get to wear the sexy make up, tight jeans and tank tops?

Logan on the other hand was nice, and while he had to trap Pepper to get what he wanted, he genuinely came to care for her (even though I couldn't understand why during the first half). The suspense is stalled for the first half, then moves in a faster pace later, but it really never steals the show. What stole the show for me, was the secondary characters, mainly Reese, Alice and Pepper's brother, who all are likely to get their own books in the future.

Fans of romantic suspense will probably enjoy it anyway, but since it's not my fave genre, I can't give it a thumbs up. Still, I liked the writing enough to give Foster another chance when Reese's book comes out.