When You Dare
Lori Foster
Harlequin HQN, Apr 26 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780373775712

In Tijuana, mercenary Dare Macintosh raids a human trafficking trailer to rescue his friend and Trace Rivers' sister Alani. Incarcerated in the same containment facility was an unconscious female who has been tortured by the kidnappers; he took her out with him too; while four local females were freed as well but left on their own. Alani explains the other American was not taken for selling like she and the four locals, but for some other unknown reason

When she awakens she breaks his nose, but he remains calm and helps her quickly adapt to being in San Diego. As he assists her with healing, romantic suspense novelist Molly Alexander from Ohio tells Dare she has no idea why anyone would take her as she has no enemies at least who would go to such an extreme. Dare is attracted to and respects Mommy's courage under fire. She hires him even as he vows to find out who her predator is anyway, but first must know why.

This is an exciting extremely well written romantic suspense that will have readers up late trying to figure out who the culprit is and the motive. Several viable suspects surface, but determining who would go to the extreme is in plain sight but difficult to fathom. Various relationships to include dysfunctional, maturing and changing, and respectful make for a powerful thriller.

Harriet Klausner