December 16, 2020 - Staff Reviews

Securing Caite

By Susan Stoker

Release Date: January 15, 2019

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/4620028

3 Stars - I struggled early in the story with this one, but the breathless pace and action that picked up about halfway through made me glad I finished. Rocco and Caite didn't come off the page at first as original or memorable leads. Once they got together and shared more page time though, I felt more invested. 

I wouldn't have said this was Stoker's best work from the character or the plot side, but she's talented enough that it still works. Rocco is one of the more laidback heroes of hers, unless of course Caite's in danger. Then, he can kick it into overdrive. Caite's a little dull as far as heroines go but her girl next door personality is cute. I live by lists too. And I can totally understand lacking ambition and/or being stuck with a less than popular college degree. But I sort of wanted her to be just a little more quirky or passionate about something.

Stoker's set up of this story I think is lacking, but it's probably a testament to her writing style and voice that I liked this anyway. Everyone's motivation or reasoning if you will was weak. First, Caite's in Bahrain with her French degree working as a secretary. I find it hard to believe that pay was enough. But okay, had to give her a resason to be there. Speaking of that, Rocco and the guys are in Bahrain pretending to be NCIS agents and going undercover. Maybe I watch too much tv, but couldn't the NCIS agents do that job? Anyway, the meet cute in the elevator was fun, the scenes where Caite was a target were intense, and the end wrapped up in a fairly plausable way. It was a quick read and not overly complicated. Our hero and heroine got most of the page time, only minimal references to Stoker's huge special ops universe. No one coming into the series or this author's work will be too lost to start here. And any fans I expect will consider this a solid entry.

(NS)