CAUGHT IN THE ACT
Joyce Lamb
Five Star
ISBN: 0-7862-5335-5
August 2003 (Hardcover)
Romantic Suspense
Jessie Rhoades is late getting to her friend, Mel's, after another eighteen-hour day at the newspaper, The Star-News. She is ready to take off her shoes and relax, so she doesn't pull over even though she can hardly see through the pouring rain. When her brakes fail to work, Jessie thinks it's just black ice, but that's before she hits the tree.
Clay Christopher needs to go out to get another drink, he can't drive since he's already had a few, with the phone out due to the storm, and unable to call for a ride, he decides to walk. When he heads out his door he sees the car crumpled against the tree. Then Clay realizes someone is inside the car and then notices the small flames, he decides he has to get her out. Clay knows he needs to be gentle so he doesn't do further damage to her, and he gets her out of the car and to a hospital. Little does he know that while he's rescuing her, she may also be saving him?
When Jessie recovers, she learns who saved her. Jessie doesn't want to feel anything, but can't fight the attraction she's feeling for Clay. While Jessie's past may come back to haunt her, she's determined to keep Clay at bay.
Clay on the other hand has no intention of fighting this; it's the first thing he's felt in three long years. When Clay gets a call asking him to check into a story about police corruption, he doesn't want to do it, but gets involved anyway. As Clay and Jessie work to find out the truth, people start to die, and the attempts on Jessie's life get bolder. Can they solve the mystery before it's too late?
CAUGHT IN THE ACT is a wonderfully fast paced read. The characters are fresh and alive. The heroine is great, if a bit stubborn. The hero is a bit over protective, but who wouldn't love that? The story is fun and while you may have your ideas of who did what, it's still a shock when it all comes out. I do hope that the secondary characters will reappear in future novels. I'd love to learn more about Mel and Marshall. If you want a fun, fast read that will leave you smiling, then this is the perfect beach read for you.
