At 20% in, this goes all FRAUGHT and ANGSTY in the 'then' sections.

Hm.

Worse, I was getting annoyed that grown-ass men were endangering others who depend on them doing their jobs. I am attracted to men who can feel their feelings. But if it interferes with competence & lives on the line, we have a problem.

So, I got to the end, but it was by cutting half the scenes. The revelations and the ending were satisfying. I might've DNF'd. Instead, the author gets a few stars. ( )

I love Tal Bauer's work...this was not an exception by any means even though I struggled with the rating and finally convinced myself that I enjoyed way more of it than i was frustrated with. The characters were wonderfully written and the information about the White House and the training that the Secret Service goes through was interesting. The frustrations came about because the chapters jumped back and forth by headings of "then" and "now" between Reece, the lead Secret Service agent and Brennan, the President. I have to give Tal Bauer a round applause for even beginning to pull that one off. The other characters were great backups for the story, and you just had to love and admire them all...especially the newbie...Sheridan. The action and the suspense was out of this world...so, a well-deserved 5 stars. It was a love story that never stopped even when the two main characters tried to end it, and even when the reader could see that this maybe/could possibly work out...or it could bury them both, destroy their careers, not to mention the entire country. I did get the "bad" guy but not until the very end. Good story, Mr. Bauer. But I would never have expected any less from you...but why in the world is this a standalone??? ( )