Beverly Barton, Dangerous Deception

Dangerous Deception

Beverly Barton

HQN, November 2006, $6.99

ISBN: 0373770677

Lausanne Raney thinks men are lowlifes, as she has had nothing but trouble with males. When she was seventeen, she gave birth, but had to give up her daughter for adoption. In her early twenties she thought she found love, but instead of a lifetime together raising a family, she spent five years in prison as his accomplice on a crime she had nothing to do with. She has sworn off men, but vows to find her child just to insure her offspring is living a contented life filled with love.

When Audrey Bedell Perkins goes missing, her wealthy father, owner of Bedell, Inc. hires the firm of Dundee Private Security and Investigation Agency to find her; cost is no object. Former SEAL Dom Shea is assigned the case, with the evidence pointing towards a homicide, as many people wanted the spoiled rich girl dead. He soon suspects Bedell Inc employee Lausanne, because she got involved with the missing heiress just before the wealthy woman vanished. However, to his chagrin, he is also attracted to Lausanne, and her to him, although neither trusts the other for differing reasons; he because she may be a kidnapper-murderer, and she because he is a male hunk.

DANGEROUS DECEPTION is an interesting romantic suspense thriller, starring a woman whose luck in men has been all bad until she meets the SEAL, and a hunk who does not know whether to kiss her or have her arrested. The storyline focuses on their relationship as they seek the missing Audrey. Though Lausanne's constant lament can turn too whining, no one will have a dry eye with the final confrontation.