review || HOT ICE

HOT ICE by Lynn Raye Harris

Publisher: H.O.T. Publishing, LLC (1/27/2014)

Series: Hostile Operations Team, book 7

Genre: Military Romance

Source: Author/NetGalley

Buy It || Amazon | BN || Goodreads
 

My Rating: ★★★★1/2

 

When fire and ice collide, you get steam…

Grace Campbell leads a privileged life. The daughter of a United States senator, she moves within the social circles of the rich and famous. But Grace is also a scientist, and when someone learns she possesses the knowledge necessary to create a new super virus capable of destroying entire nations, she becomes a target for terror groups and foreign governments alike.

Garrett “Iceman” Spencer didn’t join the Army’s elite Hostile Operations Team to babysit a spoiled rich girl, but when his superiors insist on assigning him to a senator’s daughter as her security detail, he has no choice but to comply.

It’s a shock to find that beneath the glasses and serious scowl, Grace Campbell burns hot. And Garrett, who’s been burned before, suddenly wants to immerse himself in the flames.

Keeping Grace alive—and keeping his hands off her—is a full-time job for this HOT soldier. Failure is not an option…

{ series } .

 

Hot Pursuit (Matt & Evie)

Hot Mess (Sam & Georgie)

Hot Package (Billy & Olivia)

Dangerously Hot (Kev & Lucky)

Hot Shot (Jack & Gina)

Hot Rebel (Nick & Victoria)

Hot Ice (Garrett & Grace)

Hot & Bothered (Ryan & Emily) -- Coming Spring 2015

 

{ review } .

Lynn's HOT series is one of those that I stalk... Literally.

If I go too long without thinking about the series, I'm all up in her webpage, Facebook, and Twitter, seeing if I've missed some sort of news. When Garrett's name kept popping up in HOT REBEL and we started to get some side-story action on the man, I knew I was going to be excited to read his story.

 

And when his cover was released? Woo-eee, I was pumped.

 

But I have to be honest... I don't think I was prepared for the story line that came across the pages. Iceman? Mr. Cold? Being a bodyguard? Oy, I didn't think he'd like that too much --

 

...and he didn't.

 

Ironically, Iceman is a 'bodyguard' to a woman he deems an Ice Princess -- kettle, meet pot. And the reason why he got the job? Well, his mama was a Cotillion teacher and taught him the proper forks and all that other fun etiquette stuff. If Grace was needed at a fancy shin-dig function, it served better for her date to be well-versed in that lifestyle.

Damned Cotillion lessons. He'd never guessed they'd get him in trouble someday. His mama always said they'd save his ass, not string it up for him.

But while Garrett is reading her as cold... she's really just an extreme introvert. When he comes into her life and barrels through it, ordering her around and insisting they stick together like glue, it is extremely nerve-wrecking for her. Grace also has a complex of not being good enough for people -- something that Garrett unknowingly helps aid that along.

"No, listen. I got divorced six months ago. I have a crazy ex-wife and a daughter I adore...All I want from you, all I'll ever want from you, is one night of hot, dirty sex. And I think you're too sweet for that, too vulnerable. Not to mention the fact my boss would castrate me if he thought I'd so much as done what we're doing right this minute." 

Her smile was a touch sad. "So your balls are on the line just for hugging me, huh?"

She took a step back, and he missed her warmth so deeply it was as if someone had ripped a part of his skin away.

"Don't worry. I won't tell a soul."

"Grace, I--"

She held up a hand, silencing him. "No more words... No more words."

...she fled, because yes, it hurt to not be enough--again--for someone. 

I love Grace. I love that Lynn wrote her as an extreme introvert -- and she wrote it well. Grace isn't just a so-called introvert to which the author wrote, "She was introverted" -- oh no, Lynn pulled all the stops. Grace has a million and two questions in her head that will never be asked. Grace prefers reading in solitude. Grace doesn't do small talk. Grace glues herself to one person during events when she's unsure. Grace feels inadequate compared to her sisters. Grace has a pretty flipping awesome personality if she'd just voice it.

I equally love Garrett and how he goes from cold and stand-offish, to riling Grace up at every opportunity, simply because he liked seeing her flustered. I love that he loves his daughter and is terrified his ex is going to turn her against him (hey, it happens). I love that he's managed to keep his private life just that--private--from the guys, but as parts start to seap out, he just goes with it.

...begrudgingly, but he goes with it.

Now, I have to be honest... Team Lucky/Kev over here was a bit saddened by the very minimal face time those two had but... I understand. Grace and Garrett's isn't so much a story of typical HOT missions, so it's understandable that there's a whole lot more no-HOT. Equally though...

 

I just love that Mendez gives all the guys shit about their love lives. All of them. Every single last one of them hears from Mendez when it comes to falling in love, so it was no surprise when he laid it into Garrett...

"...[a]nd above all, don't fucking touch her for anything other than her safey, you got that?"

and

Mendez blew out a breath. "Sometimes I think you boys need a testosterone suppressant."

Oh, and also

"Every fucking time. If there's a woman involved, you assholes lose your minds."

Oh, Mendez... they love you too ;)

Side note: one of my little notes in my ebook says Ryan and emily next??? I love to speculate... and oh, look who's next! RYAN AND EMILY! Now to stalk Lynn's pages for the next weeks/months...