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Special Investigations Group (SIG) #2
Shades of Temptation
Carrie Ward understands dangerous men, and she's got the scars to prove it. These days, the Special Investigations Group detective saves her risk taking for the job. But when she's asked to pursue a high-profile serial killer, she'll have to join forces with the last man she wants to depend on—Jase Tyler, an ace senior detective who's as reckless as she is cautious. And despite her best intentions, the sparks begin to fly.As Carrie and Jase race to try to save the next victim, the passion that simmers between them ignites. But a cunning killer at the top of his game is challenging carrie to play to the very end. Now all she can count on are her instincts—and Jase, the one man daring enough to keep her safe….
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
8 people are currently reading
322 people want to read
About the author
Virna DePaul
127 books989 followersA former prosecutor, Virna DePaul writes "heat, heart, & HEA" for Harlequin and Random House. She is also a bestselling Indie author, with Bedding The Wrong Brother being a top 100 contemporary romance on Amazon with over 150 5* reviews. www.virnadepaul.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
September 18, 2012
This romantic suspense had some surprises in characterizations and plot. There were some usual elements, too. Usually, I avoid this sub-genre but I'm happy to say that Virna dePaul, a new-to-me author, threw in some surprises making me glad I took a chance on this book.
***Full Review***
Grade: B- or 4 stars
San Francisco, California, Present Day
Carrie Ward has been given a case that could boost her career. A serial killer is embalming women while they are still alive and he’s keeping their eyelids as trophies. Carrie has an impressive closure record in solving cold cases. This is her first high-profile serial case. She has served as an Army MP, a SWAT sniper, and she loves her current job as a special agent for the California Department of Justice’s Special Investigations Group. Solving this case is a new challenge. It’s a chance to mentally redeem herself after having been shot in the field. Carrie understands dangerous men. The panic attacks she’s been suffering lately will not interfere with keeping people safe.
Special Agent Jase Tyler had wanted the Embalmer case. He does not feel Carrie is emotionally or physically recovered after witnessing her last panic attack, which she denied having. As a detective, he admires her strength and intelligence; Carrie is an asset to S.I.G. He doesn’t deny his need to protect her may be causing him to doubt Carrie’s readiness to investigate a sociopathic killer, but she’s hiding more from him than the mutual attraction she refuses to explore. Jase is a player who prefers a softer type of woman, which is why he’s baffled by his strong reaction to Carrie. As sparks fly, they will combine their skills and knowledge to stop the Embalmer before another innocent person dies.
Carrie and Jase absolutely sizzled from the start! Their attraction was like an electrical current zapping me from my ereader. Usually romances with this type of attraction have me rolling my eyes… not this one! These two characters have been verbally sparring a long time. It’s evident they are ripe for romance. The countdown is evident, yet their attraction is not rushed. (In my opinion, it took too long for them to become lovers.)
The main characters are not the stereotypical romantic suspense hero and heroine. Jase isn't the irrational alpha detective nor is Carrie the strong yet breakable woman. Special Agent Carrie Ward is described as a ‘warrior woman’ and she epitomizes the description. She is not without vulnerability; although one specific trait was too often repeated, in my opinion. Carrie works in a male dominated field. At work, she hides her femininity by wearing androgynous clothing. She feels the need to prove her strength and ability to perform a job, but never tries to act like a man either. Carrie’s has a couple of hard-to-swallow melodramatic moments, and her character is not a stroke of creative genius; instead it’s her combination of traits that are played well. Then there is ace detective Jase. He is described as a player. Don’t be fooled and think you have him pegged. This man actually communicates with his heroine. Plus he shares his feelings! Gasp! This hero did not grunt, pound his chest, or try to dominate the heroine. As agents, Jase and Carrie are a dream team.
Typically, romantic suspense novels require a heavy dose of suspension of belief and are fairly predictable. This Special Investigations Group story successfully avoids many tropes. The serial killer is introduced at the very beginning. Dr. Bower, a.k.a the Embalmer, is a true sociopath. Virna DePaul shares his disturbing thoughts as he commits his ghoulish and horrifying acts upon his victims. His point of view adds intensity to the story. The diabolical Dr. Bowers embodies evil in an everyday face and functions successfully in society. He is formidable. Then the plot thickens! Just when I thought I had it figured out something unexpected would happen.
The most glaring criticism I can note is the uneven pacing. Shades of Temptation has a sizzling beginning then almost becomes redundant with Carrie's issues. My internal rating system started to decline at one point. Luckily, the interesting plot twists grabbed me again and again. One totally unexpected event had me on the edge of my seat until the very end. My heart was actually pounding!
Overall, I would recommend this book to romantic suspense fans. Virna DePaul’s former career as a criminal prosecutor is reflected in the terminology, procedures, and characterizations. Her expertise brought to mind the author Pamela Clare, a former reporter, who uses her knowledge in her I-Team series. This book can stand-alone. The hero and heroine from the previous book only make one quick appearance.
Will I read Virna dePaul again? Yes! I’m eager for the next S.I.G. novel, which is in the works. The hero will be Special Agent Simon Granger. I can’t wait!
ARC courtesy of Harlequin via Netgalley
***Full Review***
Grade: B- or 4 stars
San Francisco, California, Present Day
Carrie Ward has been given a case that could boost her career. A serial killer is embalming women while they are still alive and he’s keeping their eyelids as trophies. Carrie has an impressive closure record in solving cold cases. This is her first high-profile serial case. She has served as an Army MP, a SWAT sniper, and she loves her current job as a special agent for the California Department of Justice’s Special Investigations Group. Solving this case is a new challenge. It’s a chance to mentally redeem herself after having been shot in the field. Carrie understands dangerous men. The panic attacks she’s been suffering lately will not interfere with keeping people safe.
Special Agent Jase Tyler had wanted the Embalmer case. He does not feel Carrie is emotionally or physically recovered after witnessing her last panic attack, which she denied having. As a detective, he admires her strength and intelligence; Carrie is an asset to S.I.G. He doesn’t deny his need to protect her may be causing him to doubt Carrie’s readiness to investigate a sociopathic killer, but she’s hiding more from him than the mutual attraction she refuses to explore. Jase is a player who prefers a softer type of woman, which is why he’s baffled by his strong reaction to Carrie. As sparks fly, they will combine their skills and knowledge to stop the Embalmer before another innocent person dies.
Carrie and Jase absolutely sizzled from the start! Their attraction was like an electrical current zapping me from my ereader. Usually romances with this type of attraction have me rolling my eyes… not this one! These two characters have been verbally sparring a long time. It’s evident they are ripe for romance. The countdown is evident, yet their attraction is not rushed. (In my opinion, it took too long for them to become lovers.)
The main characters are not the stereotypical romantic suspense hero and heroine. Jase isn't the irrational alpha detective nor is Carrie the strong yet breakable woman. Special Agent Carrie Ward is described as a ‘warrior woman’ and she epitomizes the description. She is not without vulnerability; although one specific trait was too often repeated, in my opinion. Carrie works in a male dominated field. At work, she hides her femininity by wearing androgynous clothing. She feels the need to prove her strength and ability to perform a job, but never tries to act like a man either. Carrie’s has a couple of hard-to-swallow melodramatic moments, and her character is not a stroke of creative genius; instead it’s her combination of traits that are played well. Then there is ace detective Jase. He is described as a player. Don’t be fooled and think you have him pegged. This man actually communicates with his heroine. Plus he shares his feelings! Gasp! This hero did not grunt, pound his chest, or try to dominate the heroine. As agents, Jase and Carrie are a dream team.
Typically, romantic suspense novels require a heavy dose of suspension of belief and are fairly predictable. This Special Investigations Group story successfully avoids many tropes. The serial killer is introduced at the very beginning. Dr. Bower, a.k.a the Embalmer, is a true sociopath. Virna DePaul shares his disturbing thoughts as he commits his ghoulish and horrifying acts upon his victims. His point of view adds intensity to the story. The diabolical Dr. Bowers embodies evil in an everyday face and functions successfully in society. He is formidable. Then the plot thickens! Just when I thought I had it figured out something unexpected would happen.
The most glaring criticism I can note is the uneven pacing. Shades of Temptation has a sizzling beginning then almost becomes redundant with Carrie's issues. My internal rating system started to decline at one point. Luckily, the interesting plot twists grabbed me again and again. One totally unexpected event had me on the edge of my seat until the very end. My heart was actually pounding!
Overall, I would recommend this book to romantic suspense fans. Virna DePaul’s former career as a criminal prosecutor is reflected in the terminology, procedures, and characterizations. Her expertise brought to mind the author Pamela Clare, a former reporter, who uses her knowledge in her I-Team series. This book can stand-alone. The hero and heroine from the previous book only make one quick appearance.
Will I read Virna dePaul again? Yes! I’m eager for the next S.I.G. novel, which is in the works. The hero will be Special Agent Simon Granger. I can’t wait!
ARC courtesy of Harlequin via Netgalley
October 25, 2012
Cover & Title - 4 out of 5
Favorite Character - Carrie
I was expecting a typical romantic suspense story when i started this book but i was surprised to find out it was more than that.
Carrie has a pretty upsetting back-story because of this she is tangled up in her emotions and has a mistrust of men. She is a kick-ass protagonist, sharp shooter & has a sassy mouth - she is very likable. Jase is a player & certainly liked to sow his oats in the past, thankfully when Carrie & him get together he leaves his playboy behavior in the past. The pair have a chemistry between them which is apparent from the outset of the book, the tension & chemistry builds between them as the book goes on. When they do finally hook up it isn't just about the sex but about trust & emotion, it is a really nice scene. The other sex scenes are certainly hotter but the first was my favorite.
I was happy with the amount of suspense the book contained & i was satisfied with the crime element of the book. I liked the ended & was glad everything worked out alright in the end.
I would recommend this book & I plan on reading more by this author in the future.
Click here for my book review blog
Favorite Character - Carrie
I was expecting a typical romantic suspense story when i started this book but i was surprised to find out it was more than that.
Carrie has a pretty upsetting back-story because of this she is tangled up in her emotions and has a mistrust of men. She is a kick-ass protagonist, sharp shooter & has a sassy mouth - she is very likable. Jase is a player & certainly liked to sow his oats in the past, thankfully when Carrie & him get together he leaves his playboy behavior in the past. The pair have a chemistry between them which is apparent from the outset of the book, the tension & chemistry builds between them as the book goes on. When they do finally hook up it isn't just about the sex but about trust & emotion, it is a really nice scene. The other sex scenes are certainly hotter but the first was my favorite.
I was happy with the amount of suspense the book contained & i was satisfied with the crime element of the book. I liked the ended & was glad everything worked out alright in the end.
I would recommend this book & I plan on reading more by this author in the future.
Click here for my book review blog
July 28, 2012
Shades of Temptation is the second book in Virna’s romantic suspense series Special Investigations Group. SIG is California Department of Justice’s five person team equivalent of the FBI. Each member brings something unique to the group. Thus far, each book easily works as a stand-alone. Readers can read either of the two books in any order.
I liked Jase and Carrie as individuals. They did not work as a couple for me. Throughout the entire book Carrie makes numerous references to the abundant amount of women that Jase has spent his time with. She also questions why he is interested in her when he has all these beauties in his past. It felt to me that Carrie had a very low opinion of herself. I know that was not the case, but it felt that way. There were also the many “no strings attached” references. I could never decide if they were trying to convince themselves or remind themselves.
Jase also questions Carrie’s competence, for good reasons in her ability to perform her job. There are some extenuating circumstances for his very wise decision. I questioned Carrie’s easy forgiveness of it though. I would have been beyond pissed. The whole situation came off to me as a back stabbing incident. As a man who cares about someone he should have stood by her and supported her and offer assistance.
I did enjoy the overall story. The suspense aspect as in how was the serial killer going to be brought to justice and what that person’s motives were kept me guessing at every turn. Carrie has so much on her plate when she takes her first serial killer case. She is coping with a pervious incident that is weighing heavily on her conscience. She is carefully wading into a potential relationship with Jase and her ambitions in her career wanting to be the best at everything that revolves around her job is a constant weight on her shoulders.
I liked Jase and Carrie as individuals. They did not work as a couple for me. Throughout the entire book Carrie makes numerous references to the abundant amount of women that Jase has spent his time with. She also questions why he is interested in her when he has all these beauties in his past. It felt to me that Carrie had a very low opinion of herself. I know that was not the case, but it felt that way. There were also the many “no strings attached” references. I could never decide if they were trying to convince themselves or remind themselves.
Jase also questions Carrie’s competence, for good reasons in her ability to perform her job. There are some extenuating circumstances for his very wise decision. I questioned Carrie’s easy forgiveness of it though. I would have been beyond pissed. The whole situation came off to me as a back stabbing incident. As a man who cares about someone he should have stood by her and supported her and offer assistance.
I did enjoy the overall story. The suspense aspect as in how was the serial killer going to be brought to justice and what that person’s motives were kept me guessing at every turn. Carrie has so much on her plate when she takes her first serial killer case. She is coping with a pervious incident that is weighing heavily on her conscience. She is carefully wading into a potential relationship with Jase and her ambitions in her career wanting to be the best at everything that revolves around her job is a constant weight on her shoulders.
August 16, 2012
Shades of Temptation is book 2 in the Special Investigations Group (SIG), it can be read as a stand alone novel.
SIG work within California's Department of Justice and operate similar to the FBI with each of the 5 members bringing something unique to the team.
Personally I haven't read the first book in this series yet, however it didn't stop me from enjoying the story in any way. Carrie goes through a lot, physically and emotionally in this book it's easy to see why she was attracted to Jase. Jase, on the whole I liked him but he did aggravate me, I didn't always agree with his decisions. The case itself was thoroughly enjoyable - serial killers and their copycats always make for good reading in my opinion. I'm awfully curious about the couple frm the first book though so I can definitely see myself hunting down a copy.
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
SIG work within California's Department of Justice and operate similar to the FBI with each of the 5 members bringing something unique to the team.
Personally I haven't read the first book in this series yet, however it didn't stop me from enjoying the story in any way. Carrie goes through a lot, physically and emotionally in this book it's easy to see why she was attracted to Jase. Jase, on the whole I liked him but he did aggravate me, I didn't always agree with his decisions. The case itself was thoroughly enjoyable - serial killers and their copycats always make for good reading in my opinion. I'm awfully curious about the couple frm the first book though so I can definitely see myself hunting down a copy.
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2012
Shades of Temptation is the follow up to Shades of Desire in the Special Investigations group series by Virna DePaul. I read book one and enjoyed it. It was a bit more intense than what i usually read for romantic suspense but i liked it. Shades of Temptation is book two and for me a whole lot more intense than book one. Jase and Carrie are on the same team, both are attracted to each other but have never acted on it. They each have their own internal problems with their pasts and their family lives growing up. Carrie is the most messed up in that area though. There are trust issues that the two have to work through. The romance portion of this book is small compared to the suspense part but for me it was part thriller as well. There is more violence that what i would expect in a romantic suspense.The writing was excellent and well done and i was surprised by the twists and turns throughout the story. Several things surprised me but i think that as i said already it's part thriller too and so the violence was a bit for me but true to the story being told. By the end i was stunned by some of how the story wound itself up. I was pretty torn up on how i felt about it. 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Picks starts for Shades of Temptation by Virna DePaul.
January 29, 2015
Actual rating: 6 gruesome stars!
Special Investigations Group trilogy just got even better. It was more action-packed and intense than Shades of Desire. Words cannot express my love for Carrie Ward and Jase Tyler. I’ve ALWAYS rooted for them since the beginning and this book has rocked my world upside down.
Special Investigations Group trilogy just got even better. It was more action-packed and intense than Shades of Desire. Words cannot express my love for Carrie Ward and Jase Tyler. I’ve ALWAYS rooted for them since the beginning and this book has rocked my world upside down.
Read
December 27, 2014Miniseries: Special Investigations Group
Category: Suspense
"DePaul's latest novel combines nonstop action, a cunning villian and one very strong and passionate special agent working through her own demons after a tragic incident." RT Book Reviews
Category: Suspense
"DePaul's latest novel combines nonstop action, a cunning villian and one very strong and passionate special agent working through her own demons after a tragic incident." RT Book Reviews
April 13, 2020
This was ok, maybe 2.5 stars. It kept me reading, but it had an unrealistic feel to me. Carrie Ward is a woman who has fought her way through a man's world through her career choices - from an Olympic shooter, to SWAT and now SIG. Jase Tyler is her sexy coworker. While they both are attracted to each other, Carrie in particular fights the attraction at the expense of sounding like a brat a lot of the time. Her back story, a tormented heroine, explains her hesitancy to engage in a relationship but she does weird stuff despite her concerns - an unexpected kiss in the workplace gym, Jase and Carrie discussing in front of superiors there feelings for each other - it just lacked emotional impact for me. For such a strong woman, she also seemed to have low self esteem. It was kind of jarring. The romance took front seat, the serial killer felt like background. The characters are like superheroes, sustaining lots of injuries that don't seem to bother them. Honestly, by the end of the book I didn't feel like they had a relationship that would survive job changes or promotions. I know there are a lot of good reviews for this book, and it kept me reading to the end so it isn't a bad read, just a quick read for me.
October 18, 2012
~* 3.5 Stars *~
A Little Bumpy in Places But Better
As a special agent with California's Special Investigations Group and the only female agent in the elite division, Carrie Ward knows all about having to work twice as hard to play with the big boys. She put in that work, dedicated herself to being the best. And until she hesitated during an apprehension, missed an important shot against a hostile perp and almost died because of it, she was confident and certain of her abilities as a cop.
Then she was shot and her world changed.
Her confidence shaken, Carrie is just coming back from medical leave when she's given lead on the sort of case that could make or break her career. A serial killer case. No sooner is she handed the file, though, than SIG starts second guessing the assignment. Carrie can accept that. It's not pleasant to be doubted but it's not wholly unexpected. She's poleaxed, though, when Jace Tyler, the one special agent that fires Carrie's lust...and incites her temper...goes to the acting director and flat-out tells him she can't handle it. Claims she's not ready. Wants the case for himself.
That's a betrayal that cuts deep. And it's one she won't forget, even when she and Jace are teamed up to stop the brutal, sadistic killer. Any lust she feels for the agent who is known for being fast on cases and faster with women...many, many women...will just have to take a back seat to her determination to stop a monster.
~*~
This second book in DePaul's SIG series worked better for me overall than it's predecessor. The characters had greater appeal to me, the serial killer thread was more to my liking, and the relationship between Carrie and Jace was both hotter and more realistic to me than the one in the first book. This story had its own ups and downs, but I did enjoy it more than the first.
I really liked Carrie as the female lead. Strong, independent, and a damn good shot, she's not so perfect that she doesn't have some rather serious personal flaws and insecurities, too. Short tempered, defensive, stubborn, she is a hothead with a chip on her shoulder - even if much of that chip is for good reason. She is also traumatized and shaken by what happened to her when she was shot and far more confident in being a cop than being a woman.
She wasn't always likable, in fact, there were times when she flat-out annoyed me, but she felt realistic to me, believable as a woman in that sort of career. I thought she was a three dimensional and interesting character...when I didn't want to smack her for her extremely prickly attitude.
Jace was slightly harder for me to get a consistent read on. On one hand he was a charming reprobate and his reputation with women precedes him. On the other, he kept Carrie in his sights, and kept pushing at the lust they felt for each other. He did some things I wasn't too keen on, but he also had a sharp mind and often looked out for Carrie's best interests when she was charging into situations half-cocked.
Obviously he was the senior agent, but sometimes I questioned his ability to think outside the box, and though I understand that his reputation with the ladies isn't totally representative of his reality, I wish I'd had a better grasp of what his reality was pre-Carrie and why.
The relationship between them was one of my favorite elements of the book. There was a lot of tension and anger, distrust and lust, attraction and frustration. The evolutionary road of the relationship arc that took them from reluctant partners and resistant allies to romance HEA wasn't without its major craters, and I can't say the romance elements totally won me over, but the chemistry generated by the often contentious struggles of two dominant personalities could not be denied.
I wasn't quite as enamored with the external conflict of the story, the plot threads surrounding the serial killer case Carrie and Jace were working. Some of the plot points seemed a little peculiar to me, and the way they developed as the story went along was at times perplexing. The first half of the book focused so heavily on the relationship between Carrie and Jace and on the questions of Carrie's competency to head the investigation, that the actual investigation and the killer's plot threads were almost completely overshadowed until the second half of the book.
By then there had been some fairly significant developments that I felt were tragically glossed over and under-represented in the story. So much so that when the unsub started to escalate as his story arc approached climax, it seemed many of the more unique elements of the plot had been muted or dropped completely. Then the story took a couple of drastic, dramatic turns that were surprising, but didn't completely make sense to me, given the psychological setup for the killer to that point.
There were definitely several tense and emotionally gripping scenes, though. Some that stunned for their abrupt carnage. The climax and subsequent resolution of conflict may not have been totally satisfying to my analytical side, but the part of me that likes the gut-churning emotions and steep costs when dealing with serial killer storylines was very entertained.
The story wasn't as smooth and well-balanced as I would have liked, but it appealed to me more than its predecessor, and DePaul has proved more than capable of creating some pretty twisted Bad Guys and nail-biting suspense. Call me certifiable, but I like the psychological thriller parts of my romantic suspense to be chock full of batshit crazy and causing a wide swath of damage, emotional and/or physical, for all concerned. This second book in the SIG series did, at the very least, do that.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by HQN publisher Harlequin via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
A Little Bumpy in Places But Better
As a special agent with California's Special Investigations Group and the only female agent in the elite division, Carrie Ward knows all about having to work twice as hard to play with the big boys. She put in that work, dedicated herself to being the best. And until she hesitated during an apprehension, missed an important shot against a hostile perp and almost died because of it, she was confident and certain of her abilities as a cop.
Then she was shot and her world changed.
Her confidence shaken, Carrie is just coming back from medical leave when she's given lead on the sort of case that could make or break her career. A serial killer case. No sooner is she handed the file, though, than SIG starts second guessing the assignment. Carrie can accept that. It's not pleasant to be doubted but it's not wholly unexpected. She's poleaxed, though, when Jace Tyler, the one special agent that fires Carrie's lust...and incites her temper...goes to the acting director and flat-out tells him she can't handle it. Claims she's not ready. Wants the case for himself.
That's a betrayal that cuts deep. And it's one she won't forget, even when she and Jace are teamed up to stop the brutal, sadistic killer. Any lust she feels for the agent who is known for being fast on cases and faster with women...many, many women...will just have to take a back seat to her determination to stop a monster.
~*~
This second book in DePaul's SIG series worked better for me overall than it's predecessor. The characters had greater appeal to me, the serial killer thread was more to my liking, and the relationship between Carrie and Jace was both hotter and more realistic to me than the one in the first book. This story had its own ups and downs, but I did enjoy it more than the first.
I really liked Carrie as the female lead. Strong, independent, and a damn good shot, she's not so perfect that she doesn't have some rather serious personal flaws and insecurities, too. Short tempered, defensive, stubborn, she is a hothead with a chip on her shoulder - even if much of that chip is for good reason. She is also traumatized and shaken by what happened to her when she was shot and far more confident in being a cop than being a woman.
She wasn't always likable, in fact, there were times when she flat-out annoyed me, but she felt realistic to me, believable as a woman in that sort of career. I thought she was a three dimensional and interesting character...when I didn't want to smack her for her extremely prickly attitude.
Jace was slightly harder for me to get a consistent read on. On one hand he was a charming reprobate and his reputation with women precedes him. On the other, he kept Carrie in his sights, and kept pushing at the lust they felt for each other. He did some things I wasn't too keen on, but he also had a sharp mind and often looked out for Carrie's best interests when she was charging into situations half-cocked.
Obviously he was the senior agent, but sometimes I questioned his ability to think outside the box, and though I understand that his reputation with the ladies isn't totally representative of his reality, I wish I'd had a better grasp of what his reality was pre-Carrie and why.
The relationship between them was one of my favorite elements of the book. There was a lot of tension and anger, distrust and lust, attraction and frustration. The evolutionary road of the relationship arc that took them from reluctant partners and resistant allies to romance HEA wasn't without its major craters, and I can't say the romance elements totally won me over, but the chemistry generated by the often contentious struggles of two dominant personalities could not be denied.
I wasn't quite as enamored with the external conflict of the story, the plot threads surrounding the serial killer case Carrie and Jace were working. Some of the plot points seemed a little peculiar to me, and the way they developed as the story went along was at times perplexing. The first half of the book focused so heavily on the relationship between Carrie and Jace and on the questions of Carrie's competency to head the investigation, that the actual investigation and the killer's plot threads were almost completely overshadowed until the second half of the book.
By then there had been some fairly significant developments that I felt were tragically glossed over and under-represented in the story. So much so that when the unsub started to escalate as his story arc approached climax, it seemed many of the more unique elements of the plot had been muted or dropped completely. Then the story took a couple of drastic, dramatic turns that were surprising, but didn't completely make sense to me, given the psychological setup for the killer to that point.
There were definitely several tense and emotionally gripping scenes, though. Some that stunned for their abrupt carnage. The climax and subsequent resolution of conflict may not have been totally satisfying to my analytical side, but the part of me that likes the gut-churning emotions and steep costs when dealing with serial killer storylines was very entertained.
The story wasn't as smooth and well-balanced as I would have liked, but it appealed to me more than its predecessor, and DePaul has proved more than capable of creating some pretty twisted Bad Guys and nail-biting suspense. Call me certifiable, but I like the psychological thriller parts of my romantic suspense to be chock full of batshit crazy and causing a wide swath of damage, emotional and/or physical, for all concerned. This second book in the SIG series did, at the very least, do that.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by HQN publisher Harlequin via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
December 7, 2019
Virna DePaul is a queen at graphic thrillers with this series! Edge of your seat excitement with twists and turns that keep you guessing.
Carrie Ward is living her dream but doing it in a man dominated environment. She sets her goals high and won't stop until she is better than any man on the team. Now a Special Investigations Group detective, Carrie has finally been assigned her first serial killer case but it seems her supervisor still doesn't trust she is ready to handle it alone. But did he have to pair her with the one man that drives her crazy?
Special agent Jase Tyler has a reputation as a lady's man but it isn't as deserving as everyone seems to believe. The only woman he wants is fighting her feelings and Jase is done waiting for co-worker Carrie Ward to accept what they both know she wants. Jase isn't taking no for an answer any longer.
But with a serial killer on the loose and the two working in close quarters will their relationship have a chance to flourish or will a killer take them both down?
Disclosure: graphic psychological thriller.
Carrie Ward is living her dream but doing it in a man dominated environment. She sets her goals high and won't stop until she is better than any man on the team. Now a Special Investigations Group detective, Carrie has finally been assigned her first serial killer case but it seems her supervisor still doesn't trust she is ready to handle it alone. But did he have to pair her with the one man that drives her crazy?
Special agent Jase Tyler has a reputation as a lady's man but it isn't as deserving as everyone seems to believe. The only woman he wants is fighting her feelings and Jase is done waiting for co-worker Carrie Ward to accept what they both know she wants. Jase isn't taking no for an answer any longer.
But with a serial killer on the loose and the two working in close quarters will their relationship have a chance to flourish or will a killer take them both down?
Disclosure: graphic psychological thriller.
August 5, 2025
Awful, awful, awful. Bad writing, boring plot, two protagonists with no appeal.
February 5, 2017
So glad they got together
September 18, 2012
Virna DePaul once again takes her readers on a journey into the workplace of a group of elite cops known as SIG. Shades of Temptation gave me a strong female lead character, which I happen to love. Carrie is a woman who doesn’t accept help easily. She’s been on the mend from a recent shooting and though she has been cleared to return, she wars with her own mental capabilities. She has panic attacks and nightmares and coming back to the job seems to be making them worse. To cope she tries to hide behind the new case she’s been given. A high profile serial killer case that she is forced to work on with Jace, a man she craves but refuses to let herself have. She doesn’t trust him and though he tries, he doesn’t believe a woman can possibility do the job better than a man. The old school way of his thinking did rub me the wrong way at times and I could understand why Carrie felt the need to stand her ground and show him up whenever possible. She was out to prove her abilities just as much as she wanted to save the potential victims of the killer.
I wish we would have gotten more from the killers prospective. I like to be able to get into their heads a little bit more than this one gave me the opportunity for. I did enjoy the fast pacing and all the action included in this one. Book one seemed to drag a bit in the middle for me but I’m happy to say I didn’t find that issue in this one at all. Jace and Carrie ignited the page. I found myself wanting them to be together more than they were. They worked off each other so well and the sexual tension was so well wrote that when they were apart I missed their interactions. I also enjoyed how the characters from Shades of Desire played small roles in this one but were mostly from a secondary source. Meaning they were there but you didn’t hear much from them. There wasn’t a ton of one on one interaction with the current characters.
I enjoyed Carries internal struggles. That sounds harsh lol. I thought the way in which her insecurities manifested themselves (panic attacks, nightmares) was completely correct and it made her story more believable. Too often you red cop romances where the cops have to kill someone and don’t feel an ounce of remorse at taking a human life…no matter how justified. DePaul does an excellent job at bringing the true emotions to light. Jace with his cocky attitude was just what Carrie needed to shake herself free from her set backs. I love a man with a big gun…and Jace…yeah he carries his big gun well. Total alpha. Total badass. His conflicting emotions for Carrie and his own desire to head the case and keep her safe played well throughout the book. I can appreciate a man wanting to keep a woman safe…but I LOVE it when the woman can keep herself safe, insecurities be damned!
I enjoyed Shades of Temptation by Virna DePaul! I give it 4 stars!
I wish we would have gotten more from the killers prospective. I like to be able to get into their heads a little bit more than this one gave me the opportunity for. I did enjoy the fast pacing and all the action included in this one. Book one seemed to drag a bit in the middle for me but I’m happy to say I didn’t find that issue in this one at all. Jace and Carrie ignited the page. I found myself wanting them to be together more than they were. They worked off each other so well and the sexual tension was so well wrote that when they were apart I missed their interactions. I also enjoyed how the characters from Shades of Desire played small roles in this one but were mostly from a secondary source. Meaning they were there but you didn’t hear much from them. There wasn’t a ton of one on one interaction with the current characters.
I enjoyed Carries internal struggles. That sounds harsh lol. I thought the way in which her insecurities manifested themselves (panic attacks, nightmares) was completely correct and it made her story more believable. Too often you red cop romances where the cops have to kill someone and don’t feel an ounce of remorse at taking a human life…no matter how justified. DePaul does an excellent job at bringing the true emotions to light. Jace with his cocky attitude was just what Carrie needed to shake herself free from her set backs. I love a man with a big gun…and Jace…yeah he carries his big gun well. Total alpha. Total badass. His conflicting emotions for Carrie and his own desire to head the case and keep her safe played well throughout the book. I can appreciate a man wanting to keep a woman safe…but I LOVE it when the woman can keep herself safe, insecurities be damned!
I enjoyed Shades of Temptation by Virna DePaul! I give it 4 stars!
September 29, 2016
A really good copish book. Entertaining hot and thrilling..
September 24, 2012
Review: Shades of Temptation by Virna DePaul
3 STARS I really like the story line. Drama was high till the end. Like the characters. This is the second book of this series that I have read. Shades of Desire was the first book that I have read. It did have a lot of swear words and sex scenes that I could have done without. Carrie Ward is a strong women with good points and faults. She really wants to make a difference with her life. Special Agent Carrie Ward worked forCalifornia Department of Justice's Special Investigations Group. In the past she worked as a swat sniper. was milatary police and before that she was an Olympic shooter in fact she won a silver medal. Carrie is attracted to a member of her team Jase. Jase is a serial dater she calls him. He is good looking and women come up to him all the time. Jase flirts with her and she thinks it is because she is hard to get not for her at all. One night when Jase follows her out of the bar leaving his date inside to flirt with her she gets mad at him and bites hard on his ear. After that she walks off to cool down and sees a teen burlger and chases after him when he runs. He comes out of the house and he is so young she hesatates and is shot in the leg. Her second shot kills him. Jase Tyler lost it when he heard Carrie was shot. He can't get her off his mind. He does not want a strong women especially a cop in his personal life. He likes easy relaxing women. He wants to be lead investigator on a serial murder his group was going to head. He heard that Carrie was going to get it . He did not think she was up to heading the investigation. He went to boss on that. Carrie heard that Jase had questioned her fitness to head the serial investigation and that he wanted to be in charge of it. Jase was not the first to think that Carrie was not ready. Both men did not know if its because she is a women, just coming back to work after being shot and killing a teen. Plus the grandmother of teen filed a lawsuit. So Carrie had to work with Jase but she was the lead. They both fought thier attraction to each other. Carrie's home was fire bombed and Jase had her stay with him and then working with him they both gave into the temptation. Carrie has to struggle to be strong but also to have a life outside of work. She is willing to give her life to protect others. Jase realizes that he can handle a strong women and is also willing to risk his life to save others. I was given this email to read in exchange of honest review by Netgalley. 09/25/2012 PUB Harlequin imprint HarlequinHQN
3 STARS I really like the story line. Drama was high till the end. Like the characters. This is the second book of this series that I have read. Shades of Desire was the first book that I have read. It did have a lot of swear words and sex scenes that I could have done without. Carrie Ward is a strong women with good points and faults. She really wants to make a difference with her life. Special Agent Carrie Ward worked forCalifornia Department of Justice's Special Investigations Group. In the past she worked as a swat sniper. was milatary police and before that she was an Olympic shooter in fact she won a silver medal. Carrie is attracted to a member of her team Jase. Jase is a serial dater she calls him. He is good looking and women come up to him all the time. Jase flirts with her and she thinks it is because she is hard to get not for her at all. One night when Jase follows her out of the bar leaving his date inside to flirt with her she gets mad at him and bites hard on his ear. After that she walks off to cool down and sees a teen burlger and chases after him when he runs. He comes out of the house and he is so young she hesatates and is shot in the leg. Her second shot kills him. Jase Tyler lost it when he heard Carrie was shot. He can't get her off his mind. He does not want a strong women especially a cop in his personal life. He likes easy relaxing women. He wants to be lead investigator on a serial murder his group was going to head. He heard that Carrie was going to get it . He did not think she was up to heading the investigation. He went to boss on that. Carrie heard that Jase had questioned her fitness to head the serial investigation and that he wanted to be in charge of it. Jase was not the first to think that Carrie was not ready. Both men did not know if its because she is a women, just coming back to work after being shot and killing a teen. Plus the grandmother of teen filed a lawsuit. So Carrie had to work with Jase but she was the lead. They both fought thier attraction to each other. Carrie's home was fire bombed and Jase had her stay with him and then working with him they both gave into the temptation. Carrie has to struggle to be strong but also to have a life outside of work. She is willing to give her life to protect others. Jase realizes that he can handle a strong women and is also willing to risk his life to save others. I was given this email to read in exchange of honest review by Netgalley. 09/25/2012 PUB Harlequin imprint HarlequinHQN
October 15, 2012
I finished book 1 and was almost done with this series. However the plot & concept of book 2 as well as author loyalty drove me to read this book. Big. Mistake.
Now, anyone who knows me knows that I need my heroines to be strong and not just on paper. For the 2nd time, I happened to read back-to-back books both of which had heroines who are super-skilled in archery. My other book was Blaze by Joan Swan and trust me Keira O'Shay is my idea of a badass heroine... Carrie Ward though, fell waaaayyy short of the mark.
Carrie Ward is a Olympic medal winning archer, a super-intelligent trained investigator and - in this book - the lead investigator for a series of murders. Carrie Ward is also a heroine who is so weak that she will give in to the hero Jase Tyler who has - literally right off the block - screwed her over professionally (he recommends against her to their boss and if thats not enough he rats her out to their boss using private information about her...) Even though she is the lead investigator, she is forever following Jase's ideas. It pissed me off to no end that every workable idea for the investigation came from Jase. Not once in the book does she come with any idea on her own
Jase's character was just not well-drawn for me. From the way he undermines Carrie to the way he never stops flirting with women, I just could not like the guy. He could do no right as far as I was concerned. And I could be wrong in this, but I don't think he ever grovels for trying to screw up her career; not to my satisfaction anyway.
Carrie was a much more sympathetic figure. She is just coming off an injury and a self-righteous kill and she is obviously shaken up. But she gets ZERO support from her team/ her boss. Her boss is so incredibly misogynistic that he even says to her at one time that if he had his way, there would be no female investigators coz he is always afraid for them plus you know "female" = "weak"
So two books in the SIG series, both big misses. I will NOT be continuing with this series.
Now, anyone who knows me knows that I need my heroines to be strong and not just on paper. For the 2nd time, I happened to read back-to-back books both of which had heroines who are super-skilled in archery. My other book was Blaze by Joan Swan and trust me Keira O'Shay is my idea of a badass heroine... Carrie Ward though, fell waaaayyy short of the mark.
Carrie Ward is a Olympic medal winning archer, a super-intelligent trained investigator and - in this book - the lead investigator for a series of murders. Carrie Ward is also a heroine who is so weak that she will give in to the hero Jase Tyler who has - literally right off the block - screwed her over professionally (he recommends against her to their boss and if thats not enough he rats her out to their boss using private information about her...) Even though she is the lead investigator, she is forever following Jase's ideas. It pissed me off to no end that every workable idea for the investigation came from Jase. Not once in the book does she come with any idea on her own
Jase's character was just not well-drawn for me. From the way he undermines Carrie to the way he never stops flirting with women, I just could not like the guy. He could do no right as far as I was concerned. And I could be wrong in this, but I don't think he ever grovels for trying to screw up her career; not to my satisfaction anyway.
Carrie was a much more sympathetic figure. She is just coming off an injury and a self-righteous kill and she is obviously shaken up. But she gets ZERO support from her team/ her boss. Her boss is so incredibly misogynistic that he even says to her at one time that if he had his way, there would be no female investigators coz he is always afraid for them plus you know "female" = "weak"
So two books in the SIG series, both big misses. I will NOT be continuing with this series.
September 26, 2012
My Review:
Carrie has just come back on the job at SIG after a one-month sabbatical after she was shot in the leg and subsequently killed the 16 yo that shot her. She had a split second where she questioned shooting him because he was so young and it cost them both. Her first case back is a high-profile serial killer. It should be a dream assignment, but Carrie is having issues (PTSD) from killing the kid and doubting herself and her abilities. Added to that stress is Jase. Jase and she have been circling each other for a while, but he's gorgeous and a player. She is not that kind of girl. She's a tough cop and has worked hard to maintain that non-feminine persona so that there's no question about her abilities on the job. Carrie has a LOT of issues that she's working through in this book.
The only issue Jase is having to work through is that he wants Carrie. I loved his character although there were moments when he was almost too perfect. He refuses to push Carrie into something she will regret later and there were times when I really wanted him to push her...or get frustrated with her...or something. BUT that being said, if I could make up my perfect guy, I think that Jase would definitely fit the bill. He's sexy. He's sweet. He's completely upfront with how much he wants Carrie. He's a good cop and quite honestly, he's just an all-around nice guy. I loved how much he wants Carrie and the fact that he's not afraid to show her that.
Then there are the serial killers....yes, two of them...both equally evil and psychotic. OMG, the killings in this book are enough to give you nightmares. These guys are psychos and it's hard to tell you which one is worse.
I continue to enjoy this series. I like the SIG...5 man investigative team, although this book rocked some of the stability of the team, with their leader on his honeymoon and a couple of the members taking some serious hits. I definitely am looking forward to reading more of their stories. This is just good romantic suspense reading!
I received a complementary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Carrie has just come back on the job at SIG after a one-month sabbatical after she was shot in the leg and subsequently killed the 16 yo that shot her. She had a split second where she questioned shooting him because he was so young and it cost them both. Her first case back is a high-profile serial killer. It should be a dream assignment, but Carrie is having issues (PTSD) from killing the kid and doubting herself and her abilities. Added to that stress is Jase. Jase and she have been circling each other for a while, but he's gorgeous and a player. She is not that kind of girl. She's a tough cop and has worked hard to maintain that non-feminine persona so that there's no question about her abilities on the job. Carrie has a LOT of issues that she's working through in this book.
The only issue Jase is having to work through is that he wants Carrie. I loved his character although there were moments when he was almost too perfect. He refuses to push Carrie into something she will regret later and there were times when I really wanted him to push her...or get frustrated with her...or something. BUT that being said, if I could make up my perfect guy, I think that Jase would definitely fit the bill. He's sexy. He's sweet. He's completely upfront with how much he wants Carrie. He's a good cop and quite honestly, he's just an all-around nice guy. I loved how much he wants Carrie and the fact that he's not afraid to show her that.
Then there are the serial killers....yes, two of them...both equally evil and psychotic. OMG, the killings in this book are enough to give you nightmares. These guys are psychos and it's hard to tell you which one is worse.
I continue to enjoy this series. I like the SIG...5 man investigative team, although this book rocked some of the stability of the team, with their leader on his honeymoon and a couple of the members taking some serious hits. I definitely am looking forward to reading more of their stories. This is just good romantic suspense reading!
I received a complementary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
September 26, 2012
While this is book 2 in a series I did not have any issues reading this as a stand-alone. I am definitely going back and grabbing book 1 and will get my greedy little hands on more of this series as it comes out.
Carrie is a cop.. She doesn't let her feminine side out to play other than tooccasionally scratch an itch but that hasn't happened in 6 years. She's deeply lonely but isn't willing to let down her guard enough to let someone else in no matter how much she just craves affection. I really felt for her working in a traditionally man's field (at the level she was at) and feeling like she had to put these extreme walls up to keep people from seeing the human inside. She's done relationships but invariably the men she was with tried to prove how much man they were by becoming controlling and in one case raping her. I loved her strength but when she finally gave in to her cravings for Jase, I then really loved her cracking and showing the woman underneath to a man who would cherish it.
Jase.... sigh... Jase.. man oh man what a sexy, caring man hiding behind a playboy exterior you happened to be. He's craved Carrie like no other woman but due to his own issues never pursued her. Sure he wants to scratch an itch and maybe get this craving purged but when she finally lets him get close and they give in to the attraction... he's a goner. She's such a strong woman and pushes him to prove himself but he craves this. He's got major issues to work thru on his own but I loved how he pushed her to let go but at the same time let her lead. He gave up his control to give her the freedom to finally let him in and in doing so gained a wonderful partner.
I have to say the murders and such were interesting even though the reader knows who the killers are we still are drawn to how the main pair figures it out and works thru the case. I loved the SIG team and cannot wait for more stories to come out. I also appreciated that while you get that there is an HEA with the main pair they don't immediately resolve everything.
Thanks to NetGalley.com and Harlequin for giving me the chance to find this new series in exchange for my honest review.
Carrie is a cop.. She doesn't let her feminine side out to play other than tooccasionally scratch an itch but that hasn't happened in 6 years. She's deeply lonely but isn't willing to let down her guard enough to let someone else in no matter how much she just craves affection. I really felt for her working in a traditionally man's field (at the level she was at) and feeling like she had to put these extreme walls up to keep people from seeing the human inside. She's done relationships but invariably the men she was with tried to prove how much man they were by becoming controlling and in one case raping her. I loved her strength but when she finally gave in to her cravings for Jase, I then really loved her cracking and showing the woman underneath to a man who would cherish it.
Jase.... sigh... Jase.. man oh man what a sexy, caring man hiding behind a playboy exterior you happened to be. He's craved Carrie like no other woman but due to his own issues never pursued her. Sure he wants to scratch an itch and maybe get this craving purged but when she finally lets him get close and they give in to the attraction... he's a goner. She's such a strong woman and pushes him to prove himself but he craves this. He's got major issues to work thru on his own but I loved how he pushed her to let go but at the same time let her lead. He gave up his control to give her the freedom to finally let him in and in doing so gained a wonderful partner.
I have to say the murders and such were interesting even though the reader knows who the killers are we still are drawn to how the main pair figures it out and works thru the case. I loved the SIG team and cannot wait for more stories to come out. I also appreciated that while you get that there is an HEA with the main pair they don't immediately resolve everything.
Thanks to NetGalley.com and Harlequin for giving me the chance to find this new series in exchange for my honest review.
September 18, 2012
Review also posted at Under The Covers Book Blog
Shades of Temptation is the second installment of the Special Investigations Group series. Though I thoroughly enjoyed Shades of Desire (SIG #1), this book was so much better.
Agent Carrie Ward was in the Army, Swat, and Sniper Olympian; now she is the only woman member of SIG. With her experience, she is up for taking a more serious case; Serial Killer and/or possible Copy Cat. This murder is definitely more than meets the eye and it was great to see Carrie go through the motions of the investigation. I found myself trying to solve it with her as I read on. I truly enjoy Carrie as the heroine. She is a woman trying to prove herself in a man’s world but as you know, that comes with a price and hardships. She was a dichotomy of strength and weakness and it was great to watch her learn the difference and learn to accept help when needed. When she finally succumbed, not only she received the right help, she even found herself a man who will love her for all of who she is.
Agent Jase Tyler is an experience member of SIG, well respected by his peers and well known for his dating background. Not only that women drooled over him, men look at him with envy. This guy is Alpha but not overbearing by the least. I love that about him. He knew when to step back and when to step up when it came to Carrie.
The sexual tension between Jase and Carrie was undeniable and unavoidable since they worked close together. The suspense part was actually interesting to follow. It was like watching a good movie. It was bit gruesome at times as the murder scene descriptions were graphic and the psychopath’s thoughts were a bit disturbing. But damn it, I could not stop myself from reading on and cheering for Carrie and Jase to solve it.
Overall, Shades of Temptation is heart pounding Romantic Suspense by Ms. DePaul, a highly recommended book and a very nice author to follow.
*ARC provided by Netgalley
November 24, 2014
Fan-bloody-tastic. The love story between these wonderful characters we first met in shades of desire has come to life in this action-packed, riveting book. I love these guys so much. Carrie, wow. Sexy, beautiful, gutsy, intelligent, talents any man would be jealous of and still room for a big compassionate heart. What's not to love? I love her! Jase, all of the above including beautiful in addition to strong, all male and protective. I love him even more. This book was bloody fantastic from beginning to end. I really do mean bloody because unfortunately terrible things happen. It's intriguing, scary and downright so realistic it's sickening but then that's what you get when you get real life experiences coupled with imaginative writing! The result is bound to be an explosion.
I cried in parts because I couldn’t believe something so terrible happened to one of the characters but you know I don't give spoilers so you'll have to read it for yourself. The remnants of this tragedy out pour into the next book.
The passion blossoming between this loveable couple is enough to make steam come out of your ears. Amazingly descriptive and blush inducing.
Again, Virna demonstrates her ability to captivate the reader and not let go until that final word is read and is left wanting more, needing to know what happens next.
I have the audiobook and the narration by Dina Pearlman was exquisite. She did such a good job of female and male voices alike. This book is a fantastic sequel to shades of desire and now I NEED to get started on Shades of Passion again!
I completely endorse this book and know you will not be disappointed. Virna never fails to deliver and here is the proof. Happy reading.
I cried in parts because I couldn’t believe something so terrible happened to one of the characters but you know I don't give spoilers so you'll have to read it for yourself. The remnants of this tragedy out pour into the next book.
The passion blossoming between this loveable couple is enough to make steam come out of your ears. Amazingly descriptive and blush inducing.
Again, Virna demonstrates her ability to captivate the reader and not let go until that final word is read and is left wanting more, needing to know what happens next.
I have the audiobook and the narration by Dina Pearlman was exquisite. She did such a good job of female and male voices alike. This book is a fantastic sequel to shades of desire and now I NEED to get started on Shades of Passion again!
I completely endorse this book and know you will not be disappointed. Virna never fails to deliver and here is the proof. Happy reading.
September 22, 2012
This was an entertaining and suspenseful romantic suspense novel. Carrie Ward is part of the Special Investigations Group but she is inwardly insecure because she is a woman in a man's world. She thinks she has to outdo all the men to be accepted. However, she has a major crush on one of her colleagues - Jase Tyler. Everything seems easy for him. He's gorgeous and beautiful woman come on to him all the time. But Jase is hiding an unrequited passion for Carrie too.
When both are assigned to the case of a serial killer called the Embalmer, they have to deal with on the job jealousies and their secret passions for each other. The sexual tension in this one is very high. The identity of the serial killer is no mystery to us since he (in fact, they) are viewpoint characters. We get a close-up look into their disturbed minds. But the rush is on to find the serial killers before they manage to kill again.
I think a little too much time was spent in this story on Carrie's insecurities. I wanted to tell her to get over herself and quit trying to be one of the guys at the expense of her own femininity. She was strong, smart, capable and the only one who couldn't see that was her. I did like Jase and I thought he showed admirable restraint with Carrie's issues. He had some issues of his own regarding his parents' relationship but it didn't take the reality of Carrie very long to overcome them.
Fans of romantic suspense will enjoy this story.
When both are assigned to the case of a serial killer called the Embalmer, they have to deal with on the job jealousies and their secret passions for each other. The sexual tension in this one is very high. The identity of the serial killer is no mystery to us since he (in fact, they) are viewpoint characters. We get a close-up look into their disturbed minds. But the rush is on to find the serial killers before they manage to kill again.
I think a little too much time was spent in this story on Carrie's insecurities. I wanted to tell her to get over herself and quit trying to be one of the guys at the expense of her own femininity. She was strong, smart, capable and the only one who couldn't see that was her. I did like Jase and I thought he showed admirable restraint with Carrie's issues. He had some issues of his own regarding his parents' relationship but it didn't take the reality of Carrie very long to overcome them.
Fans of romantic suspense will enjoy this story.
September 28, 2012
I really liked this book. It was a quick book (379 pages) that only took me a day to finish, so those are always nice when you want to get lost in a story for an afternoon. Both main characters, Carrie and Jase, are hard-core dedicated cops who rely on their own instincts and experience in order to survive the tough job they have. Neither have given much thought into romance or dating with such a high-risk job, since they never know when things might go bad.
A killer has come to town and shaken everyone up. He has a very twisted signature with his killings that leaves the cops on the force very riled. Carrie, making her come-back from recovery, is determined to get the case and catch the killer in order to reassure herself and her colleagues that she is still very much capable for the job.When the case starts heating up, Jase starts to get involved to help her find the killer that has everyone worried. While Carrie battles with the case, she also starts to struggle with her feelings for Jase.
Throughout the story, we follow the characters wondering whether they can handle their duties, if the town can handle the stress that comes along with a serial killer case, and who might the killer’s next victim be?
This was the first book I’ve read by Virna DePaul and I was really pleased with the story. She only has a couple other books so far, but I wouldn’t mind picking them up if I come across them at a book sale again.
A killer has come to town and shaken everyone up. He has a very twisted signature with his killings that leaves the cops on the force very riled. Carrie, making her come-back from recovery, is determined to get the case and catch the killer in order to reassure herself and her colleagues that she is still very much capable for the job.When the case starts heating up, Jase starts to get involved to help her find the killer that has everyone worried. While Carrie battles with the case, she also starts to struggle with her feelings for Jase.
Throughout the story, we follow the characters wondering whether they can handle their duties, if the town can handle the stress that comes along with a serial killer case, and who might the killer’s next victim be?
This was the first book I’ve read by Virna DePaul and I was really pleased with the story. She only has a couple other books so far, but I wouldn’t mind picking them up if I come across them at a book sale again.
August 31, 2012
Virna DePaul has a talent for writing an intriguing mystery surrounded by an intense and deeply sexually charged atmosphere.
But sadly, that's where it tends to end.
The characters never truly develop, the story kind of stagnates, and I'm left feeling disappointed and let down - again.
The first half of this book was great.
Lots of heated exchanges between Carrie and Jase, plenty of tension, sexual and otherwise; a crazed murderer and an equally deranged copycat on the loose makes for a really great read.
But then it all slumps.
The story gets long winded and boring, causing me to skim through a good chunk of the book before it slowly starts to pick up again, but it doesn't - not really.
The remaining last third is a reasonably safe and stale read that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, because I feel like Carrie and Jase have been cheated out of what could have been a fantastic story. Somehow it just seemed to plateau at the mid way point and never got back its intensity.
Overall a good read, but I was unsatisfied with the books lack of consistency. 3 Stars :]
But sadly, that's where it tends to end.
The characters never truly develop, the story kind of stagnates, and I'm left feeling disappointed and let down - again.
The first half of this book was great.
Lots of heated exchanges between Carrie and Jase, plenty of tension, sexual and otherwise; a crazed murderer and an equally deranged copycat on the loose makes for a really great read.
But then it all slumps.
The story gets long winded and boring, causing me to skim through a good chunk of the book before it slowly starts to pick up again, but it doesn't - not really.
The remaining last third is a reasonably safe and stale read that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, because I feel like Carrie and Jase have been cheated out of what could have been a fantastic story. Somehow it just seemed to plateau at the mid way point and never got back its intensity.
Overall a good read, but I was unsatisfied with the books lack of consistency. 3 Stars :]
September 26, 2012
NUMBER OF STARS: 3 1/2
REVIEW:
I enjoyed Shade of Temptation but not as much as book 1 Shade of Desire.
In Shades of Temptation we get to learn more about Jase and Carrie. While I really liked Jase and Carrie’s story I kinda felt like these two were forced together. It took a very long time for me to feel the connection between these two. They do make a great team, but I struggled a little with them as a couple. But other than this was a good book.
Jase & Carrie have to team up to solve not one but two serial murder cases. But when one of the serial murders sets his eyes on Jase & Carrie, these two learn quickly how fragile life really is.
If you like a good romantic suspense and liked Shades of Desire I believe you will like Shades of Temptation.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy (from NetGalley) of the book in exchange for an honest review. The following review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
REVIEW:
I enjoyed Shade of Temptation but not as much as book 1 Shade of Desire.
In Shades of Temptation we get to learn more about Jase and Carrie. While I really liked Jase and Carrie’s story I kinda felt like these two were forced together. It took a very long time for me to feel the connection between these two. They do make a great team, but I struggled a little with them as a couple. But other than this was a good book.
Jase & Carrie have to team up to solve not one but two serial murder cases. But when one of the serial murders sets his eyes on Jase & Carrie, these two learn quickly how fragile life really is.
If you like a good romantic suspense and liked Shades of Desire I believe you will like Shades of Temptation.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy (from NetGalley) of the book in exchange for an honest review. The following review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
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September 2, 2012DNF. And for once it's not because I can't enjoy it. I think I could. Or at least find it entertaining. But I just can't get past that it's actually the 2nd book to a series (despite that it can be read as a stand-alone). It just bothers me as a reader. I'm really picky about stuff like that. Sorry! I would prefer to read the 1st book and then this one so it would feel smoother and I could judge it better. Unfortunately, I'm going to mark on my DNF list for now, and likely get it again later. :)
With that said, maybe there should be a note in the title somewhere that it's book two so there's no confusion for anyone else also??
Another note: Don't worry, this really can be read as a stand alone. At my stopping point (100 pages in), I hadn't seen any kind of evidence that hinted at spoilers or confusion from the first book. This was based on my own personal preference as a reader when it comes to series books.
<3
Pixie
With that said, maybe there should be a note in the title somewhere that it's book two so there's no confusion for anyone else also??
Another note: Don't worry, this really can be read as a stand alone. At my stopping point (100 pages in), I hadn't seen any kind of evidence that hinted at spoilers or confusion from the first book. This was based on my own personal preference as a reader when it comes to series books.
<3
Pixie
September 28, 2012
Feelings
Nothing more than feelings,
Trying to forget my feelings of love
For some reason reading this book the song Feelings kept popping into my head and not in a good way.
I really wanted to like Carrie and Jase's story. I loved them in Shades of Desire but all they thought and talked about were feelings.. She is supposed to be this strong woman who had been a MP, and a SWAT sniper and had won an Olympic medal for shooting but all she did was whine in this book.
And Jase who was always the smart mouthed ladies man turned into a ball of mush around Carrie. I mean it was great he recognized his feelings for her but he kinda lost his man card in the process.
The first introduction to killer called The Embalmer in Chapter 2 was the best part of the whole book then he and his copy cat murderer became whiners about there feelings too.
I dont like giving a book a bad review and if your ok with reading about feelings none stop you may really like this book.
Nothing more than feelings,
Trying to forget my feelings of love
For some reason reading this book the song Feelings kept popping into my head and not in a good way.
I really wanted to like Carrie and Jase's story. I loved them in Shades of Desire but all they thought and talked about were feelings.. She is supposed to be this strong woman who had been a MP, and a SWAT sniper and had won an Olympic medal for shooting but all she did was whine in this book.
And Jase who was always the smart mouthed ladies man turned into a ball of mush around Carrie. I mean it was great he recognized his feelings for her but he kinda lost his man card in the process.
The first introduction to killer called The Embalmer in Chapter 2 was the best part of the whole book then he and his copy cat murderer became whiners about there feelings too.
I dont like giving a book a bad review and if your ok with reading about feelings none stop you may really like this book.
September 26, 2012
This is the second book in the SIG series and I really enjoyed it.
Carrie has been given her first serial killer case to solve and being the only woman on the team she feels as if she has a lot to prove to her male counterparts. When she is partnered with Jase she is not happy not only because he has doubts in her abilities but because of their attraction to each other. They must work together and get past their issues to catch a deranged killer who seems to always be one step ahead of them.
With a great mix of action, romance and mystery this is a great series and I will definately be looking out for the next one!
Carrie has been given her first serial killer case to solve and being the only woman on the team she feels as if she has a lot to prove to her male counterparts. When she is partnered with Jase she is not happy not only because he has doubts in her abilities but because of their attraction to each other. They must work together and get past their issues to catch a deranged killer who seems to always be one step ahead of them.
With a great mix of action, romance and mystery this is a great series and I will definately be looking out for the next one!
October 22, 2012
WOW!!! Virna DePaul has done it again.
Actually I love this more than : Mac and Natalie's story in Book 1 Shades of Desire. She took this one to another level.
Although it could have been because I was anticipating Jase and Carrie's story since the first book. Just like I am looking forward to what is going to happen with Simon more than anyone else.
Jase and Carrie made the perfect team in and out of the bedroom. I went through every emotion that these two experienced while reading this book and didn't put it down until the last word.
All I can say is thank Ms. DePaul and keep'm coming.
Actually I love this more than : Mac and Natalie's story in Book 1 Shades of Desire. She took this one to another level.
Although it could have been because I was anticipating Jase and Carrie's story since the first book. Just like I am looking forward to what is going to happen with Simon more than anyone else.
Jase and Carrie made the perfect team in and out of the bedroom. I went through every emotion that these two experienced while reading this book and didn't put it down until the last word.
All I can say is thank Ms. DePaul and keep'm coming.
January 7, 2013
I liked it...more than the first one in the series!
Both characters were interesting as hard-core dedicated cops ...!!
Carrie Ward is very likeable with her bold, determined attitude and sassy mouth .
Jass also was very charming, a player with ladies but an equally likeable character as Carrie.
The suspense was even though not high-intensity, was intriguing.
Both characters were interesting as hard-core dedicated cops ...!!
Carrie Ward is very likeable with her bold, determined attitude and sassy mouth .
Jass also was very charming, a player with ladies but an equally likeable character as Carrie.
The suspense was even though not high-intensity, was intriguing.
March 22, 2021
This book embodies romantic suspense to the max. So much of both. I couldn't put it down, and was literally stopping myself from reading ahead to see what was going to happen. I love when characters are independent but vulnerable, and both Jase and Carrie grew so much individually and together. I can't wait to read about Simon, although my heart is already breaking.
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