Mal Olson

REVIEW: “Burning hot at the moment. But then, from the day he’d met her, her closeness had always set him aflame. He would always burn all the way to his core for Annastine.” Eric/John had always loved Annastine, even when his undercover work tore him away from her and their baby. Five years passed before he could reveal secrets and that still put his family in danger. Great suspense, intrigue and romance make this book well worth reading. This is my voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

DESCRIPTION, NOT REVIEW: Wounded warrior, Alpha Dog secret agent
Eric Cavelli, is hot on the trail of the world's most wanted terrorist. Annastine Jacobson, Norwegian-born fashion designer and the woman of Cavelli's dreams, is the last person on earth he intends to meet up with—in this lifetime. But she's the only one who can get his team into enemy territory.
In the aftermath of a bombing at a Washington D.C. gala, an unintended encounter plunges the two of them into an emotional tailspin. She thinks she's seen the ghost of the man who was once her soulmate. His cover is on the verge of being blown.
Memories of a long-lost love threaten to undermine Eric's mission to stop a massive stockpile of weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists, a mission that will also take down his nemesis, the man who stole his life… (meer)

Mal Olsen’s Shadow of Deceit is a romantic suspense brimming with sexual tension between two people dealing with personal tragedies that have left them scarred and afraid to take a chance on love. When Shannon Riedel is threatened and asked to return goods owed from her deceased husband’s unfinished gem mine deal, FBI agent Tony Crazaniak becomes her shadow, sticking to her, as she compares it, like toilet paper stuck to the bottom of one’s shoe. Shannon unwittingly finds herself caught up in a dangerous world of greed, blood diamonds, and terrorists.

The plot of the story is okay; it’s fairly easy to predict upcoming events as Shannon gradually begins to consider the possibility that her husband, Tyler, may have been involved in a lucrative but shady deal. It’s completely understandable that Shannon desperately wants to believe her husband is innocent and that her boss, Rafiel de Rios (an Anthony Bandaros lookalike) could be guilty of the acts Tony suggests. However, I found Shannon to be a frustrating protagonist fighting Tony almost every step of the way in his investigation, even though she’s intrigued by the man and wants to get to know what’s behind the FBI persona Tony projects. She’s threatened, attacked, and followed on numerous occasions, yet she still won’t fully cooperate with Tony, who does everything he can to keep her safe. Even after she grows closer both emotionally and physically, she still withholds evidence essential to the case. Shannon trusts without question those closest to her, but this trait also becomes her greatest weakness making her gullible and vulnerable to the danger surrounding her.

Tony has a personal score to settle with the terrorist, Abdul Ahad, and he is passionate in trying to find the evidence he needs to link Ahad with the diamond mine deal under investigation, and it quickly becomes clear to him that Shannon is key to resolving the case. However, I was surprised at how long he was willing to wait to question Shannon. He wasn’t as aggressive with her as I would have expected, and I think his lack of action was geared toward gaining Shannon’s trust. In the meantime, both Shannon and Tony continuously reflect on their attraction toward each other and their reluctance to take the relationship further. After all, Shannon’s involvement is still questionable, and Tony knows he should maintain a professional distance. Furthermore, even though two years have passed since Shannon lost her family, she still feels getting involved with Tony would be a betrayal to Tyler.

The book has lots of action in the beginning and at the end. The middle of the book moves more slowly and focuses on the internal emotional conflicts Tony and Shannon face and their feelings and growing desire for one another. I found the romantic aspect to have greater emphasis rather than the FBI investigation in the overall plot. Love scenes are explicit and geared toward mature readers. If you’re a romance reader, you should check out Mal Olsen’s work.

Source: I received a copy of the book from the author for an honest review.… (meer)

Wow! This one has it all! Non-stop action, hot and sexy characters, betrayal, smokin' romance, and a thrilling plot.
Mal Olson has set her story, bless her, in the Midwest. Wisconsin is not the place that comes to mind when you hear blood diamonds, international terrorists, or even FBI investigation; but we get all that and more in this fast paced, well-written story. She has built a realistic setting and filled it with characters that capture your heart upon opening the book. Shannon is fantastic. She is strong, courageous, determined, loyal, trusting, and real. Tony is truly the man we have all dreamed of and searched for. It's called the "Crazaniak Effect" in the story - you freefall for this man! He is driven, dedicated, compassionate, kind, sexy as the day is long, strong, smart, and brave. The bad guys are terrifying. The good guys shine. I even loved the cat!
Mal Olson has written a story that holds the reader captive, driven to turn the pages faster and faster because you absolutely must know what happens next. This is an exceptional story and I cannot wait to read more.… (meer)

Ever since her accident, Shannon Riedel has been rebuilding her life in hopes of coming to terms with her ordeal. The loss of her husband and six-month-old son is something she feels every day. In order to hold on to their memory, she talks to them each and every day. Yet it does nothing to replace the desolation she feels inside. Deep inside, she blames herself for their dying, even though part of her knows it's not true.

When an armed man bursts into her office on the day of the two year anniversary marking the events that took her family away, Shannon finds herself wondering whether she knew her husband at all. The man claims Tyler owed him money as well as a disk and a diamond he says are his. Unable to accept that her husband may have been involved in sordid dealings, she tells him quite clearly that she doesn't know what he's talking about. This, unfortunately, angers him and fuels his urge for retribution. Unable to give him what she doesn't have, she does the only thing she can, she runs.

Tony Crazaniak never imagined he'd feel anything for anyone ever again ever since the fiasco in the Middle-East years ago. The voluptuous beauty has caught him by surprise and he can do nothing to stop the urges that are slowly rising inside him. Thwarting the gunman's plans, he vows to protect Shannon at all costs in hopes of discovering just what her husband was into just before he died. Part of him says she's innocent, that she may not know what Tyler's dealings were, but to be on the safe side, he knows he has to consider every side of the story.

As attempts on their lives are made repeatedly, Shannon realizes she may be way in over head. Tyler's secrets are slowly coming into the light, secrets she had no idea existed. When it becomes apparent that Tyler did indeed know about the diamond and the mine, she realizes she barely knew her husband at all. Yet part of her wavers. She wants so much to believe that Tyler was a good man, that he never meant their family harm.

As the tension escalates, she finds herself drawn to Tony in more ways than one, a fact that disturbs her greatly because she doesn't want to tarnish the love she had for Tyler. Despite this, she knows she can't keep fighting what she feels for long. Giving in to her heart's desires, she places her trust into Tony's hands. He's the only one who can protect her as they strive to make sense of what's going on. Their goal is to work together in hopes of setting all wrongs to right if they can only live long enough to achieve it.

This was such an intriguing story. I enjoyed every minute of it. So much so, I couldn't put it down. The heat between Tony and Shannon was palpable. I think Mal did a wonderful job in creating the world she built for her characters. The situations they find themselves in are things we can certainly relate to in real life. I think I've just become a fan of Mal's work. Can't wait to read more!… (meer)