To the Brink

I loved this book! The thrills in this fun, action packed story was extremely fast paced and so exciting! I couldn't put it down and I was completely engrossed in the current story between Ethan and Darcy and Dallas and Amy. I was even interested in the poor kid who was swept up into the life of terrorism. I can't remember his name but he helps to save the day and I wish him well in his fictional future. Also surprising, I was equally interested in Ethan and Darcy's flashbacks. Normally I am the type of person who would get impatient at this type of format but I just plowed through this book, soaking everything up like a sponge. Ethan was a very well rounded and engaging character. His angst was completely believable and I felt for him very much. I completely sympathized with his inner turmoil and the breakdown in his and Darcy's marriage broke my heart. Darcy was also a very likable character and her despair during her kidnapping was very palpable and real. The sex in this book mostly occurs during Ethan and Darcy's flashbacks and the retelling of the beginning stages of their romance was so wonderful and emotional. *sigh* Everything about this story was done so perfectly, especially the telling of Amy's captivity. There was no unnecessary fat in this story and everything was kept as trim as possible. My first Cindy Gerard book was Show No Mercy, the first offering in her Black Ops series and there were a lot of things going on in that book that I had no clue about. In this book I had a lot of "Aha" moments so that probably added to my enjoyment, but regardless, I really recommend this book as a highly engaging and fast paced novel. Ethan and Darcy were flesh and blood characters that came alive for me and their backstory was heartbreaking and I'm so glad they pulled through. :)

Darcy Prescott US Consulate Worker in Manila is the ex-wife of Ethan Garrett. Ethan is a former special services member who comes home one night to find that Darcy has left him a panicked message to call her. When he can't reach her and her coworker is killed he gathers up his brothers and best friend and they launch a rescue attempt. The story intertwines chapters back to how Darcy and Ethan met, married and divorced. Darcy has been kidnapped and is in the jungles of the Philippines. The first half of the story details how she stays alive, and how Ethan et al, are able to rescue her. Once she is back in the states it seems that she is still in danger. Ethan and she head to Washington DC to retrieve a package she mailed to herself moments before she was kidnapped. This package was given to her the day before she is killed and Darcy mailed it moments before she is kidnapped. What is on the tape in the package contains information that will take down more than one individual. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked the suspense and I also recognized the set up for the next book in the series with Dallas. Ethan and Darcy while they have unusual occupations you can believe how they were brought together and how they would stay connected.

Information can be deadly! When her US Embassy coworker dies in a mysterious hit-and-run accident, Darcy Prescott knows the envelope she received from the deceased colleague must be involved. Terrified and alone in the Philippines, Darcy instinctively reaches out to the one person sure to help, her ex-husband Ethan Garrett. Although haunted by his failed marriage, former Special Forces soldier Ethan has moved on with his life...or so he thought. Upon hearing Darcy's panicky phone message, he is ready to drop everything and help her. When he finally discovers that Darcy has been kidnapped, Ethan assembles a small team to go to her aid. With the help of his two brothers and a friend, all former soldiers, can Ethan rescue Darcy? Even if they do the impossible and pull her out of the jungle alive, will Darcy be safe? Obviously, she's in the middle of something big! Finally, what does all this mean for Darcy and Ethan's broken union? The connection is still there, but is that enough? The third book in The Bodyguards series, To the Brink is the best one yet, and I can't recommend it enough! With pulse-pounding action and sizzling romance, it is so much more than the previous books. I loved the story's edgy realism. It is one of the more believable military themed romantic thrillers I have read in quite some time. The use of flashbacks to show the evolution of the couple's relationship was brilliant. You get a fully developed relationship without interfering with the suspenseful action. Darcy and Ethan are strong, likable characters. I was hoping they would have the strength to handle the complex problems in their marriage as well as Darcy's current predicament. Immediately drawn into the tale, I was unable to put the book down. To the Brink left me begging for more from The Bodyguards. I can't wait for the next installment! Cheryl Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Ms. Gerard's third effort for "The Bodyguard" series is a stellar example of this writer's talent. This time around the reader is swept away to exotic locations, adrenaline pumping read that will entertain from page one. Darcy Prescott is in a lot of trouble and once she realizes it she contacts the one man she knows she can trust, her ex-husband Ethan Garrett. She hopes she is wrong but soon is kidnapped and Ethan is her only hope. Time starts to run short and when she narrowly escapes a rape she can only pray that Ethan has come to help her. After all she has never gotten over her love for the soldier and man she once called husband. Hopefully he has not forgotten her. Ethan Garrett gets Darcy's phone message and moves heaven and earth with a little help from his friends and family. His heart will not beat right until he sees the only woman he has ever loved. He has always been fearful of Darcy's job and the chances she takes working for the State Department. It looks like her luck has finally run short. He will go to the Philippines and pull her out of danger and failure is not an option. But, what will happen after. Will they part ways or will they get a second chance at love? This has been my favorite out of the series to date. Ethan is a total alpha male and very good at what he does. Through the use of flashbacks we are treated the to past Ethan and Darcy share. This is done from each characters point of view so the reader is treated to the "full story" and this is a very satisfying way to get this past information. Ms. Gerard is a very talented author and I look forward to the next in this series.

When Ethan Garrett first saw Darcy Prescott, he knew she was the one. But their marriage wasn't able to survive his job as a Special Forces officer. Now five years later, his ex-wife has left a message on his answering machine - a cry for help - and Ethan will move heaven and earth, and lay his own life and career on the line, to save her. Ethan pulls together a team, two of which are his siblings, and organizes a clandestine rescue mission to save Darcy. But can he save his heart when he realizes that he still loves her? The action doesn't stop with the rescue, however, because once they're back in the U.S., they must watch their backs until they discover who was behind Darcy's abduction and why. The action is edgy and realistic and the characters are believable and sympathetic. The sexual tension between Ethan and Darcy arcs across each page like electricity. From the jungles of the Philippines to the streets of Washington, D.C., these two push their bodies and emotions to the brink to make justice prevail. In the third book of her Bodyguards series, Cindy Gerard delivers a one-two punch of action, suspense and romance that will keep you turning the pages til the very end.