ABOUT THE BOOK

A missing mummy. A drug cartel. An ex-US Army Ranger. And a woman who’s at odds with the world. It’s Relentless…

There’s no hiding the fact that Julia Collins has issues. She’s shy to the point of trying to become invisible. She has OCD tendencies–breaking out in hives if she loses control of her environment. She finds it hard to talk to intimidating men, or more accurately, to any men. A fact that makes working as the office manager for Benson Security particularly difficult–the company is made up almost entirely of huge, intimidating,ex-military men. But none of the men affect her the way Joe Barone does. The ex-marine is charming, confident, heroic and so sexy it hurts to look at him. Everything about Joe intimidates Julia. And that’s why, when he declares his interest in her,she does the only sensible thing–she hides.

There’s a limit to how long Joe Barone is going to tolerate Julia hiding. So what if she has a few issues? They don’t detract from her many attributes. She’s gorgeous, smart, generous and kind. Which guy wouldn’t want a woman like that by his side? So when her grandmother gets arrested in South America, Joe sees a perfect opportunity to show Julia how good they’d be together. Julia needs someone to accompany her to Peru, someone who speaks Spanish and who doesn’t crumble in the face of authority. Julia needs Joe.

But when they get to Lima, they discover things are much worse than they were led to believe. With danger at every turn and lives on the line, Julia is forced to get past her issues and trust in Joe–her life depends on it.

MY REVIEW

This is my second Janet Elizabeth Henderson book I’ve read in the Benson Security series.  On a book tour last month, I loved reading Rich, book 5, so much that I am going back to read the beginning of the series.  Let me just say I was not disappointed.  Ms. Henderson’s characters are so entertaining and fun and she is a genius when it comes to putting romance, suspense, and comedy all together in captivating stories.  

Julia is great at solving puzzles and that’s why she works at Benson Security. However, she is extremely shy, has hypersensitivity, and OCD. Needless to say when her Gran Patricia ends up in jail in Lima, Peru for stealing a mummy with her now missing friend Alice, Julia is out of her comfort zone and is at a loss of what to do. However, after giving her very attractive, pushy, and capable co-worker and ex-Army Ranger Joe Barone the slip, he finds her and has put everything in motion to get her Gran out of jail.  Julia doesn’t do relationships because the men end up dumping her and breaking her heart because of her unusual behavior. So she is constantly telling the very determined and playful Joe to leave her be. Can she convince this intense and dangerous “coiled tiger” that she is not worth the headache? Because she is terrified he is pursuing her.

You see, Joe is very possessive and obsessive when he wants something.  You may even say relentless. And he wants Julia.  But he will give her time to adjust to his presence and to feel comfortable with him. He has studied her for some time and he is fine with her quirkiness, her fears, and her wonderful mind. He is there to protect her from the dangerous man who has kidnapped Alice and who is threatening to kill her Gran for the location of the secret treasure that Gran has discovered. But will he be able to keep them all safe and convince Julia she is worth fighting for?

Julia and Joe have a fascinating dynamic. She is so unsure of herself, but with Joe’s guidance and encouragement she starts to come out of her shell. I can’t imagine the anxiousness she encounters from day to day, but Julia is a trouper and it’s amazing how she picks up on Joe’s energy when faced with adversity.  And Joe is a wonderfully patient man who is proud of her accomplishments and who is a fierce protector as witnessed with his warnings to his grumpy boss Callum and even to her Gran for shouting at her. Not to mention giving a well deserved right cross to his coworker Ryan who doesn’t know when to shut up. Speaking of Ryan, may I say that one can really count on him for a good laugh in a tense situation. His comments are hilarious. Elle is another character I really enjoy with her wonderful positivity and quirky sense of humor.

On that note and in Elle’s words, “Holy hotcakes, Batman” this is another fantastic romantic and thrilling ride with plenty of laughter and colorful characters.  Ms. Henderson knows how to catch a reader off guard with her many fabulous and LOL moments that had me in stitches.  If you love to laugh, swoon, and travel to thrilling places, give this book a try. You won’t be disappointed.  On to the next book in the series.

BUY THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janet is a Scot who moved to New Zealand fifteen years ago. Among other things, she’s been an artist, a teacher, a security guard at a castle, a magazine editor, and a cleaner in a drop in center for drug addicts (NOT the best job!). She now writes full-time and is working on her 19th book. Her books have won several awards, including the Daphne du Maurier award for excellence in mystery and suspense. When she isn’t living in her head, she raises two kids, one husband, and several random animals. She survives on chocolate and caffeine.

Follow Janet on her website, Instagram, and Facebook.