Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/
The last we saw of Joseph and Dale was in The Only Easy Day where we were left hanging with a HFN on their relationship. This installment in the Sanctuary series is all about the two men. I enjoyed the way Ms Scott wove the romance around Dale's taking Emily Bullen back from the west coast to turn state's evidence against her husband the senator. The story gave action at the airport fighting Griffin and his men who tried to kill Emily Bullen and balanced it with a great romance. The sex was hot and well written. There was a perfect flow to the story and it was a nice, easy read. This book could be read as a stand alone in my opinion as it revolved around Dale and Joseph with Emily as a secondary evil character. I wanted to see Mrs. Bullen taken down being that she was really the brains behind the entire Bullen empire but the government wanted her testimony more. I liked that Joseph could be so open about his life when talking about career choices with his commanding officer. That Joseph and Dale were comfortable enough in their own skin to have the stuffed alligator showed the tender side to the two macho men. I missed seeing glances at how the rest of the Sanctuary gang was doing because the other books did that. This book is definitely worth reading just for its two tough main characters and the HEA ending. ( )

3,5 stars ( )

Of all these books this one is a little different. We're not being introduced to a new couple, but rather getting Dale and Joseph back together after what seems forever. Their relationship hasn't really had a chance to grow, because with Joseph being an active SEAL and Dale on assignments they never have a chance to get together.

It's also different because, apart from the very beginning, this one isn't so much based on the action and suspense like the previous books all were. There is some bits going on in the beginning, but in reality this book is more about Dale and Joseph realising what they both want from their relationship and working towards making it all happen.

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It's been quite a while since I read the previous Sanctuary book, and I really liked returning to this world of mystery, suspense, and dark plotting by illegal elements and bad guys. It was interesting to return to Joseph and Dale's relationship, especially since they'd left things somewhat up in the air at the end of book two. Well, not in terms of commitment to each other, but none of the practicalities of their relationship had been solved or even discussed at that point. Also, the situation with Senator Bullen's wife testifying in the case against him was still up in the air after book six, and one of he bad guys was missing. So, lots of threads to weave another interesting tale. And RJ Scott certainly didn’t disappoint.

Joseph is still with the SEALs, but a few things have happened that make him think about his future. It's a big change for him, and the fact that he's even considering something else for a living shows how much he has changed and grown. He still considers his feelings for Dale a bit on the sappy side, but he is now honest enough with himself to admit he has them. As he begins to face the truth that he loves Dale with all his heart, a life-and-death situation forces him to speed up his musings and make a decision.

Dale is a bit further along in the able-to-admit-he-loves Joseph department, but he is biding his time. Having moved out of the SEALs himself he knows how difficult that can be, at the same time, he knows they are Joseph's life, so to speak, and he doesn’t want his lover to stop doing what he loves. Dale knows that can only lead to catastrophe, so he bides his time. Seeing Joseph in mortal danger right before his eyes doesn't help, but he stays the course.

While the first half of the book is the usual high-tension story including threats, lots of action, and even a bomb, the second half focuses entirely on Joseph and Dale. They need to reconnect, and I loved seeing how they became closer and closer, how they discussed the future, and how Joseph worked out what he wanted to do. If you like stories about tough men, SEALs to be exact, if you enjoy reading books with a good balance between action and a budding relationship, and if you're looking for a read that is hot yet very sweet, then you will probably like this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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Out of the entire Sanctuary Series this one is my favorite so far. ( )