Wednesday, May 31, 2017

ARC Review: Wrecked by Cynthia Eden

Series:     LOST #6
Pub. Date:May 30, 2017
ublisher:Avon
Length:384 pages
Source:Edelweiss

Wrecked is the sixth and final installment of the Last Option Search Team series, that quickly rocketed to the top of my favorite romantic suspense list. So this is a bittersweet end for me. I loved getting to know all the members of the LOST team, but I'm sad to see them go. I hope that Cynthia Eden continues writing these dark gritty serial killer type romantic suspense stories, because she does it exceedingly well. Sometimes I want to peek into her brain to see how she creates the dark and twisty villains that were featured in this series.

The final heroine is Ana Young, twin sister of Asher from Taken. If you have read the earlier books, you will recall that when the twins were fourteen, they were abducted and Asher was forced to watch while Ana was stabbed and sliced repeatedly. This makes Ana our tortured heroine, literally and figuratively. But Ana is a survivor and her tragic past is fuels her drive to help victims and catch bad guys. I admired Ana's determination and resilience, and hated the self-esteem issues that her scars created. Ana is an incredible tracker and, by viewing criminals through the POV of a victim, she is able to understand their motives and intentions.

A few years ago, Ana had a one-night stand with a fast-rising FBI Agent, Cash Knox. When a killer with a fixation on Ana escapes prison, Cash reappears in Ana's life. He seriously has a thing for Ana and despite her disappearance from his bed two years ago, he has never been able to get past the draw he feels toward her. Cash gave off an air of injury and vulnerability, like a kicked puppy, and I felt sorry for him. It felt a little odd to feel sorry for the big bad FBI agent - but he just seemed so earnest in his feelings toward our heroine that you wanted her to open her arms and heart to him. Of course, Cash is hiding some secrets which he fears will drive Ana away for good, and that added to the vulnerability of his character. Overall, I liked him as a hero and I didn't want Ana to push him away.

As always, the suspense and mystery aspect of this book was excellent. Cynthia Eden really gets into the mind of her villain and presents an eerily captivating storyline. The dynamic here was even more twisty because you didn't know whether to feel sorry for the bad guy or hate him. When victims are killers and killers are victims, you have a lot of mixed feelings. The suspense takes you from isolated cabins to working and abandoned psychiatric facilities, all of which gave a spooky feel to the investigation. I think this story (and the whole series) would translate well to television or film in a crime drama format.

I recommend this book to all fans of romantic suspense. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Avon.

LOST Series


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