Lie With Me: Shadow Force #1

Lie With Me
Stephanie Tyler
Shadow Force, book one
Kindle Edition, 384 pages
Published October 26th 2010 by Dell
ASIN B003EY7IR2
ISBN 0440245966 (ISBN13: 9780440245964)

Forced together by fate, bound together by desire.

Framed for a double murder, Delta Force operative Cameron Moore is given a new lease on life by the CIA—provided he pays them back by doing their black ops dirty work. Now Cam is ready to renegotiate their deal, and he thinks he’s found the perfect bargaining chip: Skylar Slavin, bestselling author of espionage thrillers and the daughter of the CIA man who saved him from a prison sentence.

Skylar has been living in anonymity, never suspecting that someone so dangerous—and so desirable—would plunge her into a world as treacherous as one of her spy novels. But how can Cam go through with his plan to kidnap Skylar when just the sight of her sets off an explosive attraction he’s never experienced before? And when Skylar falls prey to an even more perilous threat, this special ops soldier must call upon all his combat skills to protect the one person who can help him win his freedom—and the only woman he’s ever loved.

This story starts off at the moment Cameron proves that he's had enough being a lackey for his 'savior'. In a fast pace, high stress situation, Cam sets into motion what will result in his freedom, or his death.

After spending two years in prison for a crime his father framed him for, Cam was given a chance for release from Gabriel in return for joining Delta Force, an above the law operation that crosses the legality line all too often. But Cam has a conscience, and it's had enough.

He escapes with his life and runs to his best friend and former Delta Force agent, Dylan, from whom he receives information that may be Gabriel's only weakness. Information that may be the leverage Cam needs to finally be free and information that Dylan has been withholding for the past five long months. Oh yeah, Cam was all about kicking his best friend's ass for that one.

But Cam isn't the only one that has come into this intel and is out to hurt Gabriel, and soon Skylar Slavin, writer and daughter of Gabriel, is the target of two men out to take her captive.

I love it! Never do I miss a chance to root for the bad guy and this story is forcing you to do it! The lesser of two evils, Cameron is the villain and he and Dylan are definitely two dark heroes who are willing to lie, cheat, steal, seduce, and kill to get the job done. That's actually their motto!

Problem? I don't see one. The author does amazing things at creating drama between Cam and Skylar. As much as he wants to hate her, he can't. As much as she doesn't want to trust him, she does. Not a completely unheard of kind of conflict but the writing is superb. And the characters, who find a kindred soul in their counterpart, are totally worth falling for.

Even as Cam is kissing Sky, and effectively falling for her, his simultaneous thoughts are of how easily, and quickly, he could kill her. Yays for the darkness. For the blurred, gray lines and stretch of shadows. Finally I have found a contender to go up against Shiloh Walker.

Now on the other side of this book is Dylan's story and OhMyDamn, it's just as powerfully good. He and Riley have been at it for years. Since before they even knew who each other were and when they didn't, was it ever complicated. Trying to kill the same person you're wanting to share your bed with and never knowing they were one in the same. So yeah, they'd got their own share of drama. Especially after Dylan steals the files on Skylar and Riley counters by putting a bullet in him and walking away. They're both agents. Both possibly with different agendas. But everyone in this story has one common denominator- Gabriel.

Cam was great but I was all over Dylan. Cam might not think the guy's got a conscience, but he's definitely got a heart. Every flashback to Dylan's past left me breathless.