Caught in the act (Mass Market Paperback)

I love Lori Foster and her books but this one didn't do it for me. The characters didn't seem as full and well rounded as in her other works.

Although Del seemed an interesting character and I liked Mick I was more interested in the lives of the supporting characters.

In the story, Mick Dawson is wildly attracted to a woman that he has only seen in the neighborhood. There is just something about her that captivates him, and he is determined to meet her. That meeting takes place during a jewelry store robbery as Mick arrives in time to save her life. In the process, Mick is shot with the bullet that was deliberately meant for her. Del, the woman in question, is confused and very grateful. She's determined to thank Mick for saving her life, so she follows him to the hospital and waits while he undergoes surgery for the bullet wound.

The only way that the doctors will allow Mick to leave the hospital is if someone can be there to take care of him. To the surprise of everyone, Del, who by now is also dazzled by Mick, offers to take him home with her. Mick (no fool he) immediately agrees. The story progresses from there with Mick and Del falling deeply in love, while Mick pursues the criminal(s) who wanted to kill Del that day at the jewelry store.

Without going into all the details of how the mystery is solved, I will say that there is plenty of suspense to keep you interested - apart from the sizzling scenes between Del and Mick! I really grew to like these two quirky characters, and actually re-read the other two books to see if I could find more information about them. I guess I enjoyed the book so much that I just didn't want the story to end! Highly recommended!

As for the romance, well in typical Foster style, the couple, who know virtually nothing about each other, wind up in love and married within like a month of meeting! This was sort of acceptable in the short stories of The Winston Brothers, but in every novel it borders on silly. Though Mick was a nice guy, he didn't really do that much for me. Nor was I particularly fond of Del. Bottom line, I didn't care that much about this couple or their relationship - the kiss of death for a romance novel!

If you are a Foster fan, you will probably like this book. If you are new to her, I recommend Too Much Temptation or The Winston Brothers instead. As for my opening statement, I might have to reconsider if Joe Winston gets his own story. He sounded intriguing.