Exclusive

Katherine Garbera returns to the Athena Force series and to the story of reporter Tory Patton and undercover operative Ben Forsythe. Their love affair was first chronicled in EXPOSED and now we meet back with them as they are struggling to find a balance between their jobs and their relationship. Tory's anchor job is what she always wanted- or so she thought as she realizes she misses doing the research and capturing the details of that exclusive. Ben's cover is that of a rich playboy and Tory is feeling a bit uncomfortable at seeing him in all the magazines with different women at his side. Tory and Ben's paths cross once again in the fictional country of Berzhaan where American troops are fighting. Tory is tracking down her friend and fellow reporter, Andrea Jancey, who has been taken hostage while Ben is also searching for the terrorists as one of his men was taken hostage as well. Freedom Now has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and wants American troops withdrawn or the hostages will be killed. Tory has also recently discovered she is pregnant. How will Tory and Ben resolve their careers with being parents? And why does the trail for Freedom Now lead from Berzhaan to Phoenix, Arizona? Katherine Garbera has written a suspenseful tale that could almost be drawn from today's headlines. Generally, I am not a fan of doing this as I'd rather read nonfiction for current events but Ms. Garbera does an excellent job at presenting a current story with a neutral tone. Fans of the Athena Force series should enjoy this latest addition.

LASER (Lost Airman's Service) Agent Ben Forsythe is in Berzhaan in the Middle East on a rescue mission involving a TV crew that includes one of his agents taken hostage by an anti American group when he learns that his beloved girlfriend reporter Tory Patton is also there. Tory has arrived seeking her friend and protégé, part of the TV crew, missing reporter Andrea Jancey. Ben wants Tory to go home and let him do what he is trained and experienced at performing. However, she refuses as the Athena Academy for the Advancement of Women graduate plans to go it alone if Ben refuses to help her. Knowing how stubborn she can be Ben reluctantly agrees to her insistence that they team up because he believes as long as she is in country Tory is safer at his side. EXCLUSIVE is an action-packed thriller that never slows down from start to finish as the lead pair work on the rescue mission and making love. The lead couple is a delightful pairing because of his concern for his beloved who leaves him no options; think how he would have reacted if he knew she was pregnant. However, what makes the tale is the locals who are not stereotyped especially a Suwan police officer. Katherine Garbera provides a tense adrenaline pumping thriller that never decelerates until the post game hugs. Harriet Klausner