Regan Black is an author of many talents, first she gave us the urban fantasy series Shadows of Justice set in the future, then she gave us contemporary romantic fantasy with the Matchmaker series, now she flexes her muscles and brings us the first book in her romantic suspense series Unknown Identities.
John Noble is a man with no identity who sold his soul to a shadow group doing jobs no one else would touch, for the chance of redemption. Four years after his last job, he thinks he is out of the game. But is anyone really out of the game? John gets a visit from the “messenger” telling him he needs to do one more job to be free; he is to be a bodyguard for a reporter. If he successfully completes this job and the reporter lives, he will finally have bought his redemption and be free to live his life.
Amelia Bennett works as a reporter for a small Boston publication, she is known as a straight shooter, no topic that is off limits to her. Her present story is getting too close for comfort and someone is out to silence her, permanently. Amelia is not going to be scared off by a few threats and a trashed apartment, but when her boss is adamant she either take a bodyguard or she is off the story, she agrees.
Thrown together against both their wills, John fights to keep Amelia alive and Amelia fights to get her story told, and if she gets the story on the silent and dangerous John Noble, it will be a bonus.
Regan Black knows how to tell a story; in her Shadows of Justice series she gives us a tale of shadows, enhanced soldiers and special powers. In her Matchmaker series she gives us the world of things that go bump in the night. In this new series, she shows us her dark, gritty, dangerous, sexy side. Her characters are rich and full of shadows and light, she takes us from rainy Boston to a quaint historic secluded home on the coast, all the while weaving a story rich with danger and seduction.
John Noble is a flawed man; he has scars not only on his body but on his soul. He straddles the line between good and bad and there are times when he is not sure which side he will fall on. He is tired of the game, weary of not having an identity and his secrets are many. Amelia Bennett is his opposite, she knows what is good and will fight for it, she is determined and stubborn and doesn’t know the meaning of backing down.
Ms. Black has given us a story full of suspense, action, betrayal, heat and just a tiny bit of humor. Having read all the Justice and Matchmaker series, I feel confident in saying in this story she may have just penned her best work yet.
Paranormal Romance Guild Dual Review Team