Live Wire
Lora Leigh
St. Martin's, Mar 1 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780312945848

Elite Ops Commander Captain Jordan "Live Wire Malone knew adding Tehya "Enigma" Talamosi to the unit six years ago was a mistake, but even he failed to predict why. Over the years, he came close to breaking his only rule about watching his squad's back a zillion times for her, but he never did. Now the contract is over and his team returns to normal lives raising families. For him, no way as he will hide behind the legend of Live Wire.

Nine months ago Tehya left the team to open a business. However, someone is leaking top secret information about her, which makes her and any one close to her in peril. Jordan still protects his team even if they disbanded and some already have kids. He arrives to warn Tehya and have her back. However, this time he no longer can resist her lure.

Although there are suspense elements, the last Elite Ops tale is more a pure romance than an action thriller. The story line is fast-paced yet filled with sex scenes and a chance to see how the team members have done since they went civilian. Tehya is a fascinating protagonist, but Live Wire feels different than in previous novels though one can rationalize he is being domesticated on the home front. Although tough love dominates the plot too much and his motive for being relationship phobic extremely weak, fans of the series will appreciate the climax of the leader and the female Elite Ops teammates trying to make it as a civilian couple even if the unit like the Hollow Men of T.S. Eliot go out in a "whimper not a bang."

Harriet Klausner