Tuesday, July 14, 2015

review || CUBA UNDERCOVER { release day blast } by Linda Bond



Entangled Select Suspense | July 14, 2015 | Romantic Suspense
★★★★

SOURCE: BARCLAY PUBLICITY

His revenge will change her life forever...
Cuban-American TV reporter Rebecca Menendez's success comes from playing by the rules. When she's kidnapped by a fierce and intensely handsome man who needs her help, however, all of those rules seem pointless. Nothing could have prepared her for being taken hostage...or the irresistible reward if she complies: information about her long-thought dead father.

Antonio Vega has spent almost every day of his adult life dreaming of revenging his father's death. With his sister's life and freedom in jeopardy, Antonio isn't taking any chances. But once Rebecca and Antonio are in Cuba, they're immersed in a world of corruption, deceit, and betrayal. It's a deadly game...and there are no rules.


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{ about linda bond } .

Linda Bond is an Emmy award winning journalist by day and an author of romantic adventures by night. She’s also the mother of five, four athletes and an adopted son from Cuba. She has a passion for world travel, classic movies, and alpha males. Linda currently lives in Florida, where the sun always shines and the day begins with endless possibilities. You can become a Bond girl and share in her continuing adventures at www.lindabond.com


In honor of Cuba Undercover’s release, Linda Bond is sharing one of her favorite 
Cuban recipes here!

{ excerpt } .

He could feel her heart drumming against his chest. He turned her toward him and forced his lips on hers before she could object or speak. Her lips were warm and pliant, surprising given the crisis they found themselves in. Her body went limp in his arms, as if giving up was exactly what she wanted to do. Or maybe fear had finally immobilized her. Either way, he took advantage of her submission and deepened the kiss. When the tip of her tongue complied, tentatively touching his, he hardened, desire joining the adrenaline already pumping through him. Jesus, he was one sick bastard to be thinking about this right now. They were going to end up in jail. But maybe this playacting was their way to freedom.
“Buenos días.” The officer from inside the ministry had reached them. He cleared his throat, probably waiting for them to stop kissing.

Rebecca pushed against Antonio’s chest, breaking the kiss first. Fear resonated in her eyes, but he didn’t know if that was a reaction to his kiss or acknowledgment of the deep shit they’d just stepped in.

The older police officer had his hand on his gun, eyeing them without expression.

He could feel the blood rush through the artery in her neck, pounding like mad, and sweat trickled down the side of her face, but her body didn’t stiffen, nor did she push him away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hooked her leg around his.
Good girl.

“Were you heading to the Ministry of the Interior?” the officer asked. He must be trained to be the good cop.

“No, señor.” He detached Rebecca from his body. “She was running away from me.”

“Because you lied to me.” She shouted so convincingly, she even fooled him for a second. Or maybe she was being honest. He had lied to her.

Either way, she was playing along. Smart. “She was just a friend,” he pleaded. Let the cops think they were having a lover’s spat.

She slapped him again, real satisfaction lighting up her eyes. 

He grabbed her with enough force she had no choice but to tumble into him, but without any kind of violence that would alarm the two cops standing close by. One of them was actually grinning. The other looked angry, but maybe a bit turned on. “I think you’re enjoying this,” he whispered into her ear. “Don’t hit me again.” She shivered against him.

“You have no idea how much,” she whispered back. “Don’t threaten me again.” 

“Little hellion.” He planted his mouth on hers before she could reply. If she wanted to take advantage of the precarious situation they found themselves in to hit him and get him back, he’d do the same. She couldn’t pull away. She wouldn’t blow their cover. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, savoring the taste of her.

She bit him.

Hellcat. “Ouch!”
A hand on his shoulder pulled him away from her. “Take her home.” The older cop gave him a knowing look. “And teach her a lesson.”

“Like this, you mean?” He laid another kiss on her. So far the cops were buying their act. 

Maybe that’s because Rebecca was actually kissing him back, this time running her hands through his hair and tugging on it. Jesus, it felt good. He wondered if he were able to maneuver a hand under her clothes, would she be excited? Did danger ignite her fire like it did his? Because right now, as the cops rolled their eyes at each other and walked away, his thoughts were drifting to the hard-on between his legs and how the line between danger and desire, pleasure and pain, was very thin for him.

{ review } .

When I started this book, it was to see more Zack and Sam...


But no worries! Rebecca quickly put me in my place.

This was her story.

Ok, so she was referring to a domestic abuse news story she'd been covering, but still, first line in the second paragraph of the story? Quickly reminded me exactly who I was reading about.

Rebecca is Cuban-American and is a damn good news reporter. So good, though, that because of exactly those things, she finds herself in the back of a van, being kidnapped by a man named Antonio.

Antonio wants to rescue his sister from the life she's currently living and to do that, he wants to put Cuba's corruption into light -- and what better way to do that than with a news reporter who has ties to his home country?

What I loved about Rebecca was that while she was taken against her will, she wanted to add stories to the main one by showing things such as the refugees and their fight to come to America -- a land that, by all accounts, they should have been allowed to cross to.

This was a fast-paced story with a decent amount of suspense. There are enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged -- and then on top of that, we get to see protector Zack in his element as he tries to help out his woman's best friend.

When reading and seeing all the political unraveling, you can completely be sure that Linda Bond knows what she's talking about.

Typically when I read series, I tend to love on my first couple but occasionally I'll fall for the other couples as well. While I did very much enjoy Rebecca and Antonio...

It's still Zack and Sam who have my heart.


{ previously reviewed connected titles } .
ALIVE AT 5 { review } .

{ giveaway } .

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for reading both Alive at 5 and Cuba Undercover. I'll make sure Zack and Sam make an appearance in the next book. Linda Bond

    ReplyDelete