Review: Extreme Measures

Extreme Measures by Elisabeth Naughton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




Female covert operatives are more and more popular. With shows like Alias and Covert Affairs, a strong female lead in stories is inevitable. For those who enjoy spy thrillers, this book is for you. Ms. Naughton is new to me and I'll be keeping an eye on her.

Eve Wolfe is an operative who works even covertly in the Company. She is similar to the Internal Affairs for cops. When her sister is captured during one of her ops, she goes off grid unwillingly. Her former lover, Zane Archer, is a lover scorned and demanding for answers. The two of them come to an understanding quickly when they become public enemy number one.

This story moves at a fast pace. Ms. Naughton does a good job of throwing red herrings to keep a reader guessing. The conflict in this story is trying to figure out the real traitors before Eve and Zane are killed. However, this seems to be relegated to the background and Zane tries to reconcile the Eve he knew with the one that stands before him. The romance in this story is a stronger element than the suspense. For those who are into romance over suspense this will work well for you.

The characters are well written. Eve is a strong woman who is isolated. It seems only her father knew her best. She's estranged from her sister yet still love her. Her complicated history with Zane adds a nice torn emotion when they meet up again. Eve is an imperfect character. She's made decisions she regrets which costs lives. Matching her up with a boy scout type who lives with strict rules is fun to watch. Zane's strengths are protection and his inability to be corrupted. This also handicaps Zane in some ways because he's rigid and inflexible about right and wrong. Life tends to have lines which are easily moved and erased. Watching Zane struggle with this and Eve's decisions is amusing.

Overall, this is a fast paced and smooth read. It's easy to follow the plot and the characters are admirable. It's an enjoyable page turner recommended for romantic suspense lovers.



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