I don’t know how author Adriana Locke does it, but in Pulse, the first book in the brand-new Landry Security series, she puts together her usual perfect combination of heart, heat, and humor and throws in a thrill-a-minute, nail-biting ride to see if Landry Security can find the stalker before the stalker finds Dahlia.

I was barely into Chapter 2 and I already knew that – as Locke puts it – this would be another “hug in a book.” I was already so immersed and certain this was one of those books you want to read faster and faster, but already know don’t want it to end, either.

For the heart, heat, and humor we have Troy and Dahlia. They both work for Landry Security. We’ve already met Troy, most recently I think in This Much is True. He’s the hard shell with the gooey center. Broody, grumpy, his childhood and past experiences make him certain he is unfit for romance, relationships, marriage, family. Nose to the grindstone, do the job, then do another job. He’s close to the Landry brothers, especially Ford, and to his own brother Travis, but that’s as far as he’s opened his circle – or his heart. On the outside Dahlia is a confident, put together smart aleck who likes to get under Troy’s skin, but on the inside she’s a mess. Life has thrown a lot at her. Still reeling from the loss of her mother, adjusting to the father she never knew suddenly stepping into her life, and dealing with an ex-boyfriend who just won’t give up.

Troy and Dahlia are hilarious together. A lot of sparring, needling, innuendo. Nothing further, but it’s apparent that no matter how much they each try to pretend otherwise the attraction between them keeps bubbling along and getting hotter and hotter. In their minds, anyway. Dahlia is on board going further, but Troy . . . nope. In addition to the “I need to focus on the job and I’m not meant for love” whirling in his mind, he thinks the age gap is too much. Doesn’t stop him from hovering, being protective and checking on her, though. Their interactions are fun; they are sweet, stubborn and inwardly swooning.

What starts out as another cute little romance gets serious and suspenseful quickly. Dahlia realizes someone has been entering her home when she’s not there. More than once. Then she receives an email with the subject: Safety Check, instructing her to “Run or die. Don’t alert the authorities, or I’ll make the choice for you.” Complete with pictures of her inside and outside of her house – including in her shower and at her friend’s house. Terrified is too tame a word. Who could be doing this? Her ex-boyfriend Freddy doesn’t want to let go, but he doesn’t actually seem crazy. Could this be related to her father, who is accused of working with a cartel? Who hates her this much? Who wants to kill her?

When Landry Security sends Dahlia to Lincoln Landry’s vacation home with Troy as her bodyguard while they try to figure out who is responsible, Pulse becomes a perfect combination of sweetness, steam and desire against hidden danger, fear, uncertainty and betrayal. If Dahlia keeps pushing will Troy relent (fingers crossed!!)?? Who is the stalker? Why is this happening? It’s so fast paced and suspenseful and the danger seems so real you will be flipping pages as fast as you can and yelling things like, “Don’t answer the door!” I loved it so much I couldn’t put it down and read it almost straight through.

Thanks to author Adriana Locke for allowing me to be part of her advanced reader team and providing an advance copy of Pulse. It was fantastic. All her books are fantastic. Read it now and read everything else she has written. I can’t wait to see what’s next in the Landry Security series. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. ( )