Outcast

I was really set not to like this book much given the other reviews. I was pleasantly surprised. I liked it very much. I liked the large cast of characters, and can't wait for the next book. Given that there is such a wait for the next installment in the series, I do wish there would have been fewer unanswered questions at the end of the book. However, I have no doubt I will be reading the second book when it finally comes out.

Just finished Outcast and now can't wait for more in this new series. Ms Johnston always does a great job in her series. This large clan should make for an interesting new series. The characters seemed so real and the action kept me reading. Get this book, you will not be sorry.

I had never heard of this author before and read the book in a few hours the characters were very interesting and the romance was sizzling and believable can't wait for the second book in this series.

Ben Benedict works for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) branch of Homeland Security after a stint as an army sniper. He currently works with the Washington DC Police Department's gang unit while seeking an al Qaeda operative allegedly planning a biochemical attack. Still suffering from nightmares from his overseas duty, Ben is mortified when he must shoot a teen. Ben is assigned to receive counseling from therapist, Dr. Anna Schuster, but remains on the job seeking the terrorist. He wants nothing to do with the shrink and refuses to cooperate insisting he is not crazy. She refuses to quit though she is concerned about breeching doctor-patient ethics when she finds she is attracted to him. As they fall in love and make love, they team up to prevent a killer from harming potentially millions. Ben makes this exciting homeland security romantic suspense seem relevant as he personally struggles with demons he brought back from the war compounded by his shooting the teen is real (in light of the army and marines besieged by suicides to the military's credit are trying to help the soldiers). Thus he is at his first encounter with Anna nasty as he rejects the concept of needing outside help. The hunt for the terrorist is entertaining though the use of key flukes of luck detracts from a deep character driven thriller. Harriet Klausner