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Undercover FBI #1
Special Agent Francesca
An introvert, Special Agent Francesca moves to Las Vegas to escape her powerful, domineering mother. On arrival, multiple obstacles challenge her. She needs to approach a father she’s never met, a man who doesn’t even know she exists. Then she must play the role of a loving fiancée with a stranger. One who makes her question every unexpected emotion he provokes. Craving the chance for real undercover work, she grabs the opportunity to be involved in cleaning up gang corruption in a nasty neighborhood. When she poses as the new owner of a hotel, the deadly-dangerous situation ramps up and she’s forced to fight her way from one conflict to the next.
Sean Collins, Psychiatrist and LVPD Profiler, has never known anyone like Francesca Donovan. From first sight, he believes her to be a screwball but her beauty and maddening personality attracts him. Despite her prickly disposition, which gets them into a load of trouble, her rotten driving skills and her constant battles, he’s hooked. Once he’s roped into a mock engagement with her, his desire to make it real takes precedence over everything else in his world.
Sean Collins, Psychiatrist and LVPD Profiler, has never known anyone like Francesca Donovan. From first sight, he believes her to be a screwball but her beauty and maddening personality attracts him. Despite her prickly disposition, which gets them into a load of trouble, her rotten driving skills and her constant battles, he’s hooked. Once he’s roped into a mock engagement with her, his desire to make it real takes precedence over everything else in his world.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2014
705 people are currently reading
934 people want to read
About the author
Mimi Barbour
166 books697 followersMimi is an incredibly busy NYT and USA Today award-winning, best-selling author who has nine series to her credit, as well as over 45 books and numerous multi-author box collections.
Mimi lives on the East coast of Vancouver Island with her pup, Charli, and writes her various romances with tongue in cheek and a mad glint in her eye.
She’s been known to say: “If I can steal a booklover’s attention away from their every-day grind, absorb them into a fantasy love story, and make them care about the ending, then I’ve done my job.”
**1st place prize of the 2015 - Chanticleer Reviews - Clue Awards. Special Agent Francesca
**A TOUCH OF PASSION, has just become the 2016 WINNER of The Romance Reviews Readers' Choice Awards.
Mimi lives on the East coast of Vancouver Island with her pup, Charli, and writes her various romances with tongue in cheek and a mad glint in her eye.
She’s been known to say: “If I can steal a booklover’s attention away from their every-day grind, absorb them into a fantasy love story, and make them care about the ending, then I’ve done my job.”
**1st place prize of the 2015 - Chanticleer Reviews - Clue Awards. Special Agent Francesca
**A TOUCH OF PASSION, has just become the 2016 WINNER of The Romance Reviews Readers' Choice Awards.
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July 11, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/11/2019)! 🎁
May 20, 2016
Special Agent Francesca by Mimi Barbour
Special Agent Francesca Donovan was thrilled to be moving to the Las Vegas FBI branch to escape her powerful, domineering mother. Kathleen Donovan held the position of Special Assistant to the Director of the FBI in New York City. She had always made sure Frankie was assigned soft cases. So when a position in the bureau opened in Las Vegas, she jumped at the opportunity to move more than halfway across the country. Frankie chose a hotel away from the glitz and bright lights of Vegas to familiarize herself with the underbelly of the city. On her first night in town, before Frankie checks in with the bureau, she gets between the hotel owner and a couple of goons who are out collecting protection payments in the seedy area for their boss.
Craving the chance for real undercover work, Frankie grabs at the opportunity to be involved in cleaning up gang corruption in the nasty neighborhood. In the sting operation, to lure out a Vegas kingpin, she is to pose as the new hotel owner along with Sean Collins, a Psychiatrist and LVPD Profiler, as her loving fiancée. But first Frankie needs to approach a father she’s never met, a man who doesn’t even know she exists.
Frankie is a wonderful character. While she doesn’t have an outgoing personality, she is feisty, smart, and confident in her abilities. She is also multi-talented and doesn’t shy away from danger. There is an undeniable chemistry between Frankie and Sean. I enjoyed the way Ms. Barbour played with each character’s perceptions of the other while they explored and came to terms with their own feelings. Neither can deny their attraction to the other and as the danger intensifies, the stakes get higher.
The characters are all well developed and diverse. The storyline is a rollercoaster ride that will keep you enthralled as Frankie dives head-first into trouble trying to prove her worth to her profession and her mother. I think readers will find this an intense but enjoyable jaunt into Francesca’s journey.
FYI: Special Agent Francesca, Book 1 of Ms. Barbour’s Undercover FBI series, is available free in the Kindle Store. This book contains adult language; several F-bombs were dropped. Sexual situations and encounters were mildly explicit and well written. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** May 9, 2016
Format/Typo Issues: No significant issues.
Special Agent Francesca Donovan was thrilled to be moving to the Las Vegas FBI branch to escape her powerful, domineering mother. Kathleen Donovan held the position of Special Assistant to the Director of the FBI in New York City. She had always made sure Frankie was assigned soft cases. So when a position in the bureau opened in Las Vegas, she jumped at the opportunity to move more than halfway across the country. Frankie chose a hotel away from the glitz and bright lights of Vegas to familiarize herself with the underbelly of the city. On her first night in town, before Frankie checks in with the bureau, she gets between the hotel owner and a couple of goons who are out collecting protection payments in the seedy area for their boss.
Craving the chance for real undercover work, Frankie grabs at the opportunity to be involved in cleaning up gang corruption in the nasty neighborhood. In the sting operation, to lure out a Vegas kingpin, she is to pose as the new hotel owner along with Sean Collins, a Psychiatrist and LVPD Profiler, as her loving fiancée. But first Frankie needs to approach a father she’s never met, a man who doesn’t even know she exists.
Frankie is a wonderful character. While she doesn’t have an outgoing personality, she is feisty, smart, and confident in her abilities. She is also multi-talented and doesn’t shy away from danger. There is an undeniable chemistry between Frankie and Sean. I enjoyed the way Ms. Barbour played with each character’s perceptions of the other while they explored and came to terms with their own feelings. Neither can deny their attraction to the other and as the danger intensifies, the stakes get higher.
The characters are all well developed and diverse. The storyline is a rollercoaster ride that will keep you enthralled as Frankie dives head-first into trouble trying to prove her worth to her profession and her mother. I think readers will find this an intense but enjoyable jaunt into Francesca’s journey.
FYI: Special Agent Francesca, Book 1 of Ms. Barbour’s Undercover FBI series, is available free in the Kindle Store. This book contains adult language; several F-bombs were dropped. Sexual situations and encounters were mildly explicit and well written. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** May 9, 2016
Format/Typo Issues: No significant issues.
July 11, 2014
I won this book on Goodreads, thank you. This is a very fun, interesting, sexy book. It is well written, witty and has a good story. Really enjoyed the characters of Frankie and Sean. I love the way alcohol affects Frankie, hilarious!!! The characters are not these oh-so-mighty Feds or cops that can do no wrong. They have a humanity that is realistic and makes the story more interesting. This book definitely entices me to want to read more from Mimi Barbour.
August 24, 2017
I loved this suspenseful novel, from the characters to the action, and it was a treat to have a female agent as the main character. I highly recommend the whole series but start with this one!
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
April 28, 2019
This book is so good. It has suspense, romance, and laughter. Since Francesca’s mother is high up in the FBI in New York, she makes sure Francesca has non life threatening cases to work on. Francesca is so frustrated with her mother, she transfers out to Las Vegas. Francesca is funny as she always seems to get in trouble in Las Vegas without trying. It seems like everyone thinks she can’t handle herself, but I think they never give her enough credit. It made me mad because she was always trying to prover herself. I was happy to see she found some wonderful surprises in Las Vegas. One of the best things to happen is that Sean Collins, a profiler, is assigned to be her partner as the mob is after her. There are some twists and turns that I loved. I strongly encourage you to read the book.
August 23, 2020
This book is packed with action, romance, and some laughs. FBI Special Agent Frankie Donovan is a strong character and someone you don’t want to mess with, especially when she has her pepper spray. Her life is in transition, as she sets herself free from her mother’s control, moves to Las Vegas, takes on an undercover assignment, gains a new family, and falls in love. Heck, she evens finds a puppy. The new man in her life is a keeper. Sean Collins is a likable guy and a great match for Frankie. There is a sexy scene of them in a strip club that adds some spice to the story. All the characters are solid and believable, except for Special Agent in Charge Haynes. Honestly, even being related to the Mayor, wouldn’t have gotten this weak, self-centered man a supervisory position in the FBI. So his character didn’t work for me.
April 26, 2018
FBI Agent Frankie Donovan went undercover to take down a crime boss threatening local businesses. She went in as a hotel owner and even had a (fake) fiancé.
Frankie had been an undercover agent for quite some time but never had a chance to be really good at it because her mother always made sure she had easy cases. Her mother had a lot of pull in that area since she was very high in the FBI. Wanting to get away from her mother's interference was the reason she transferred to another city. Frankie never knew who her father was but the transfer prompted her mother to finally tell her because he lived in the city she was going to and was a detective there, too. She wanted her daughter to be prepared, in case they ran into each other. I loved the way he and his family welcomed Frankie into their family. And his children were thrilled to have a new sister.
I liked how good Frankie was at her undercover work, and thought it was exciting when she used her black belt skills. The romance between Frankie and Sean was great. This thriller will keep you on your toes with all its twists and turns. I recommend this fast-paced book. 3.5 stars
Frankie had been an undercover agent for quite some time but never had a chance to be really good at it because her mother always made sure she had easy cases. Her mother had a lot of pull in that area since she was very high in the FBI. Wanting to get away from her mother's interference was the reason she transferred to another city. Frankie never knew who her father was but the transfer prompted her mother to finally tell her because he lived in the city she was going to and was a detective there, too. She wanted her daughter to be prepared, in case they ran into each other. I loved the way he and his family welcomed Frankie into their family. And his children were thrilled to have a new sister.
I liked how good Frankie was at her undercover work, and thought it was exciting when she used her black belt skills. The romance between Frankie and Sean was great. This thriller will keep you on your toes with all its twists and turns. I recommend this fast-paced book. 3.5 stars
February 1, 2016
This is a potboiler novel, and there is nothing wrong with those, but unfortunately it was not even well written, and had very poor editing and lots of typos.
All in all, a rather cringe-worthy romantic thriller with a flaky plot full of holes and corny language. I'm afraid I will have forgotten it even before finishing my review.
I found that one of the most annoying things for me was that the author constantly confused psychology and psychiatry and alternatively made one of her protagonists a psychologist one minute and a psychiatrist the next, rinse and repeat every few pages. It made me mad, as it shows lazy planning (or none at all), and it does not inspire much confidence that the author knew what she was doing.
I think I rolled my eyes quite a few times at some points on the clunky, galumphing narrative and implausible dialogue. I'm afraid this book left a lot to be desired.
All in all, a rather cringe-worthy romantic thriller with a flaky plot full of holes and corny language. I'm afraid I will have forgotten it even before finishing my review.
I found that one of the most annoying things for me was that the author constantly confused psychology and psychiatry and alternatively made one of her protagonists a psychologist one minute and a psychiatrist the next, rinse and repeat every few pages. It made me mad, as it shows lazy planning (or none at all), and it does not inspire much confidence that the author knew what she was doing.
I think I rolled my eyes quite a few times at some points on the clunky, galumphing narrative and implausible dialogue. I'm afraid this book left a lot to be desired.
May 5, 2014
Francesca is a talented, determined, focused undercover cop who manages to blend easily into the gritty underworld of Las Vegas.
She has lived under the microscope of her domineering, perfectionist mother. Her father is unknown but through a series of intriguing events her secure world is turned upside down.
She meets Sean Collins, a gifted police profiler and her life becomes even more unstable. Just when I thought I knew what Francesca was up to, the author surprised me.
Francesca is a complex and flawed character and Ms. Barbour describes her with grace and compassion. An engaging page-turner.
June 25, 2014
Love the characters and the fast-paced action in this story! Francesca is as unique a heroine as they come. Vegas and its residents -- both those wanting to help and hinder Frankie -- don't stand a chance when she arrives in town. Neither does her new partner, the gruff but loveable (and seriously sexy) FBI profiler, Dr. Sean Collins who becomes Frankie's bodyguard. The vast cast of charming and appropriately creepy (this is Sin City after all) secondary characters are too many to list, but for me the dad that Frankie's never met tops the list.
July 25, 2016
Excellent! The chemistry between Frankie and Sean sizzles. The action keeps you on the edge of your seat! I didn't want to put this book down.
I look forward to more books in this series.
*** I was given this book in exchange for my honest review. ***
I look forward to more books in this series.
*** I was given this book in exchange for my honest review. ***
April 16, 2014
Excellent! The chemistry between Frankie and Sean sizzles. The action keeps you on the edge of your seat! I didn't want to put this book down.
I look forward to more books in this series.
*** I was given this book in exchange for my honest review. ***
Reviewed by Laura
I look forward to more books in this series.
*** I was given this book in exchange for my honest review. ***
Reviewed by Laura
December 17, 2015
A big nice surprise
I really enjoyed this book. It was so good I couldn't put it down. There was more action in it than I thought it would. Some nice surprises in it too. Can't wait to read the next book in the series. Definitely recommend it.
I really enjoyed this book. It was so good I couldn't put it down. There was more action in it than I thought it would. Some nice surprises in it too. Can't wait to read the next book in the series. Definitely recommend it.
May 1, 2016
Great book
This was a great stand alone book with some sex but nothing real hard core. I did enjoy the h was strong willed and there was humor along with serious items. I will be adding this book to my read again list.
This was a great stand alone book with some sex but nothing real hard core. I did enjoy the h was strong willed and there was humor along with serious items. I will be adding this book to my read again list.
April 24, 2014
great story with a lot of action and romance too! Hot Chemistry! complete review @ http://swoonworthbooks.com
June 3, 2024
Very poorly written and edited, with dialogue nobody would say and a plot with holes galore. I gave it one star because I liked the first chapter. Didn't get very far after that
February 27, 2022
I picked this book up from a friend's recommendation. It is fast-paced, fun, and filled with suspense.
FBI Special Agent Francesca "Frankie" Donovan is excited about starting her job in Vegas independent of her mother's long reach. However, her mom springs a shocking surprise on her that her birth father is a detective in the city. A man who does not know she exists. If that isn't enough, she has also pissed off her slimy new boss who has placed her in her first extremely dangerous undercover job to catch a crime boss. And the icing on the cake...her partner is a hot, distracting psychologist who gives her feelings she just doesn't need right now.
Dr. Sean Collins works is a psychologist who works sometimes as a profiler for the Vegas police force. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time, he is asked by his best friend Eddie, head of the Gang Crime Unit, to partner with the beautiful and stubborn Special Agent Donovan to keep her out of trouble. Yeah...easier said than done.
Frankie is a total badass. Trouble certainly finds her as she brings down four bad guys in just a few days of her arrival in Vegas. Her extreme martial arts skills are superb and her instincts are well-developed for a young agent. She is also thrilled to be out from under her mother's interference as the top Special Agent to the Director of the FBI. She is used to working on her own so she often goes rogue to the dismay of her father, her boss, and Sean. It's sad how Frankie grew up with an absentee mother who put her career first and then lied about Frankie's father all her life. However, Frankie's dad, Ham, and his family are just what Frankie needs to feel wanted and cared for. Sean is Frankie's voice of reason as she gets deeper into the Vegas criminal underground. Their attraction is immediate, but they rub each other the wrong way at first. Their fun teasing is hilarious and the chemistry is strong as they finally admit their feelings, they catch the bad guys, and their future looks bright.
I love Frankie's father with his immediate and unconditional love for his daughter. That applies to her very understanding and accepting stepmother Mattie, and her half-sisters as well.
If you enjoy suspense that keeps you on your toes, slow-burn sizzling romances, and charming and sleazy characters, give this book a try.
Thank you to Ms. Barbour for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
FBI Special Agent Francesca "Frankie" Donovan is excited about starting her job in Vegas independent of her mother's long reach. However, her mom springs a shocking surprise on her that her birth father is a detective in the city. A man who does not know she exists. If that isn't enough, she has also pissed off her slimy new boss who has placed her in her first extremely dangerous undercover job to catch a crime boss. And the icing on the cake...her partner is a hot, distracting psychologist who gives her feelings she just doesn't need right now.
Dr. Sean Collins works is a psychologist who works sometimes as a profiler for the Vegas police force. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time, he is asked by his best friend Eddie, head of the Gang Crime Unit, to partner with the beautiful and stubborn Special Agent Donovan to keep her out of trouble. Yeah...easier said than done.
Frankie is a total badass. Trouble certainly finds her as she brings down four bad guys in just a few days of her arrival in Vegas. Her extreme martial arts skills are superb and her instincts are well-developed for a young agent. She is also thrilled to be out from under her mother's interference as the top Special Agent to the Director of the FBI. She is used to working on her own so she often goes rogue to the dismay of her father, her boss, and Sean. It's sad how Frankie grew up with an absentee mother who put her career first and then lied about Frankie's father all her life. However, Frankie's dad, Ham, and his family are just what Frankie needs to feel wanted and cared for. Sean is Frankie's voice of reason as she gets deeper into the Vegas criminal underground. Their attraction is immediate, but they rub each other the wrong way at first. Their fun teasing is hilarious and the chemistry is strong as they finally admit their feelings, they catch the bad guys, and their future looks bright.
I love Frankie's father with his immediate and unconditional love for his daughter. That applies to her very understanding and accepting stepmother Mattie, and her half-sisters as well.
If you enjoy suspense that keeps you on your toes, slow-burn sizzling romances, and charming and sleazy characters, give this book a try.
Thank you to Ms. Barbour for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
January 17, 2020
FBI Special Agent Francesca Donovan transfers to the Bureau’s Las Vegas office for a fresh start for her career. Her mother, Kathleen Donovan, a renowned Special Agent herself, had risen to the position of Special Assistant to the Director in New York, and had pretty much controlled her assignments up to now, and consequently, Frankie was really feeling the need to get out from under Mom’s influence and scrutiny, and make her own way.
Frankie and her mother have a real love-hate relationship. While each is all the other woman has ever had while Frankie was growing up, Frankie’s now a grown woman and is past ready to stretch her wings. Adding to the situation, Kathleen reveals that the father Frankie has never known anything about, and who knows nothing about her, actually lives in Las Vegas and is a Las Vegas police detective. Frankie determines her best course of action in the matter is to introduce herself to the man before they bump into each other professionally.
On her first night in Vegas, when she foils a strong-arm attempt against her hotel’s manager, she quickly finds herself up to her ears in an exciting and important joint FBI-Las Vegas PD undercover operation. The operation teams her up with hunky police psychologist, Sean Collins, the police chief’s best friend. The two must work to overcome some initial conflict and distrust but once they put aside their differences, they discover they are a lot more compatible than either would have expected, and sparks begin to fly.This first book in the new Undercover FBI series by Mimi Barbour is a fun, action-packed story. While Frankie and Sean seemed to get together a little too quickly for my tastes, their coupling up was still romantic and sexy. Supporting characters such as Manuel the Taxi Driver, John Hampton, her father, and his entire family really added a lot of fun and emotion to the story. On top of that, Las Vegas is just such a great setting with so much variety available to put to use.
I would definitely be interested in reading more in this series, and the synopses of future books are quite tantalizing. I recommend this book for readers that enjoy romantic suspense and lighter mystery/thriller books.
October 19, 2022
Francesa Donovan, reassigned to the Las Vegas bureau of the FBI, is hoping to make her mark away from the influences of her mother - the highest-ranking female member in the organisation. Her first undercover assignment involves a racketeer shakedown of the local hotel owners. With a partner in tow and a newly discovered father, Frankie's time on the Strip is sure to be wild.
There was so much in this book that I couldn't buy into. Frankie is apparently drop-dead gorgeous, a great fighter, and a master investigator, yet she's been kept behind a desk for five years. Her sudden love interest felt hurried and superficial not to mention that he had assaulted her and she merely walked it off (I would not let anyone treat me the way that he did). There was blatant disrespect from the get-go between various "professionals", especially the one that practically undressed Frankie with his eyes upon meeting her. As an agent, some of the stunts she pulled were foolhardy on the low end and downright dangerous on the other.
This is not a clean read. There's coarse language and many graphic scenes. Though it has high reviews, it just fell flat for me.
There was so much in this book that I couldn't buy into. Frankie is apparently drop-dead gorgeous, a great fighter, and a master investigator, yet she's been kept behind a desk for five years. Her sudden love interest felt hurried and superficial not to mention that he had assaulted her and she merely walked it off (I would not let anyone treat me the way that he did). There was blatant disrespect from the get-go between various "professionals", especially the one that practically undressed Frankie with his eyes upon meeting her. As an agent, some of the stunts she pulled were foolhardy on the low end and downright dangerous on the other.
This is not a clean read. There's coarse language and many graphic scenes. Though it has high reviews, it just fell flat for me.
June 6, 2025
Francesca Donovan or Frankie is a special agent with the FBI. Her mother is ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE FBI and has been holding her back. Frankie was always second in her mother’s life. She’s always wanted to know about her father but her mother wouldn’t talk but since she’s moving to Vegas, her mother giver her his name and address. She’s a shock to her father. He knew nothing about her and is overjoyed when he meets her. Sean Collins is a Psychiatrist and a profiler for LVPD. When Sean first sees Frankie he believes her to be crazy. But then he is asked to be her partner in an undercover operation. Sean is to pretend to be her fiancé but falls hard for Frankie. This is Frankie’s first big undercover assignment. She is posing as a buyer of a hotel because there has been corruption and a mob boss is making people pay for protection. Frankie gets into all kinds of trouble and Sean is right there with her. When her cover is blown and she’s kidnapped, will Sean and her backup get to her in time?
A little steamy. Action. Frankie and Sean make a great couple. Frankie just wants love and to live up to her mother. Sean is loyal and handsome.
A little steamy. Action. Frankie and Sean make a great couple. Frankie just wants love and to live up to her mother. Sean is loyal and handsome.
April 20, 2019
Francesca is finally getting out from under her mother’s thumb by moving to Las Vegas to be an FBI agent. Her mother also finally tells her who her father is, and he’s a cop in Las Vegas too.
Frankie meets her dad and his family, who welcome her with open arms and crumble all the walls she’s erected due to her mother’s neglect.
She’s assigned an undercover job and a psychiatrist, Sean, is to tag along with her. He’s fascinated by her, and sees through her usual tricks, so they become close as they work together.
All the bad guys are caught in a final showdown, and family wounds are healed.
Love Frankie’s style of handling conflicts and Sean’s unwillingness to let her away with things. Manuel is a favourite from the start, he’s just cool. Ham and Mattie are also sweet and kind, got to love them as well.
The writing is a bit inconsistent, with some parts strangely out of sync, but for the most part, the book is interesting and well written.
KU
Frankie meets her dad and his family, who welcome her with open arms and crumble all the walls she’s erected due to her mother’s neglect.
She’s assigned an undercover job and a psychiatrist, Sean, is to tag along with her. He’s fascinated by her, and sees through her usual tricks, so they become close as they work together.
All the bad guys are caught in a final showdown, and family wounds are healed.
Love Frankie’s style of handling conflicts and Sean’s unwillingness to let her away with things. Manuel is a favourite from the start, he’s just cool. Ham and Mattie are also sweet and kind, got to love them as well.
The writing is a bit inconsistent, with some parts strangely out of sync, but for the most part, the book is interesting and well written.
KU
July 4, 2019
Francesca has always struggled to live up to the image of her overbearing and overprotective mom, a senior FBI officer who's singular focus in life has always been to be the best of the best. Just before she heads to Vegas for a special assignment that she hopes will finally let her get out from under her mother's considerable shadow and shine in her own right, her mother hits her with a surprise revelation. Her Dad just happens to live in Vegas. Oh, and by the way, he doesn't know she exists.
Barbour spins an action packed tale of police drama, romance and family values that will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you breathless as Frankie chases down bad guys, finds a hot new romance and gets to know the father she didn't know existed and, through him, t better understand the mother she's always both loved and feared.
A great police drama with a kick-ass heroine you can't help but love.
Barbour spins an action packed tale of police drama, romance and family values that will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you breathless as Frankie chases down bad guys, finds a hot new romance and gets to know the father she didn't know existed and, through him, t better understand the mother she's always both loved and feared.
A great police drama with a kick-ass heroine you can't help but love.
January 4, 2020
I received this as an advanced reading copy.
Everything was great. The plot, the characters, the pacing, the complexity. While basically straight forward, most of the characters are more complex, the plot is more complex, the story itself borders on the Thriller without tipping over that edge. It maintains itself firmly in the Romance genre while also bordering on the edge of general fiction in that it also deals with Francesca's relationship with her mother and with the father she never knew. If those two relationships were better developed it could easily have fallen in that category. As it was, the book had excellent pacing to keep the tension up. While the main plot is basically straight forward, enough happens along the way for this not to feel like and A to B to C type book. As a result, I ended up really loving it even if it was a fairly fast read. I want to read more in this series. In fact, I just want to read more by this author
Everything was great. The plot, the characters, the pacing, the complexity. While basically straight forward, most of the characters are more complex, the plot is more complex, the story itself borders on the Thriller without tipping over that edge. It maintains itself firmly in the Romance genre while also bordering on the edge of general fiction in that it also deals with Francesca's relationship with her mother and with the father she never knew. If those two relationships were better developed it could easily have fallen in that category. As it was, the book had excellent pacing to keep the tension up. While the main plot is basically straight forward, enough happens along the way for this not to feel like and A to B to C type book. As a result, I ended up really loving it even if it was a fairly fast read. I want to read more in this series. In fact, I just want to read more by this author
March 27, 2022
This should be a rom-com movie of the week.
The cover pic looks exactly how I'd picture them both in a movie. Some of the TSTL escapades Frankie said and pulled were only pulled off by the lucky existence of the people around her and her total faith in her abilities. She comes off as a high-functioning Asperger individual with her not liking to be touched, her heightened physical abilities and intelligence, and her lack of social graces and self esteem. Her lousy childhood didn't help the sadness and loneliness surrounding her. She wasn't clueless, but was more likely to spontaneously jump without looking into serious situations, but would somehow always land on her feet.
Sean, was more like a secondary character than a lead. He also came off very pompous in a few scenes. Loved her father, stepmother, sister, and the puppy. Hated her mother. I kept reading because of the suspense only, which wound up a little too easily.
The cover pic looks exactly how I'd picture them both in a movie. Some of the TSTL escapades Frankie said and pulled were only pulled off by the lucky existence of the people around her and her total faith in her abilities. She comes off as a high-functioning Asperger individual with her not liking to be touched, her heightened physical abilities and intelligence, and her lack of social graces and self esteem. Her lousy childhood didn't help the sadness and loneliness surrounding her. She wasn't clueless, but was more likely to spontaneously jump without looking into serious situations, but would somehow always land on her feet.
Sean, was more like a secondary character than a lead. He also came off very pompous in a few scenes. Loved her father, stepmother, sister, and the puppy. Hated her mother. I kept reading because of the suspense only, which wound up a little too easily.
July 27, 2019
There is a lot going on in this book. It’s a little Keystone Cops at times, but since I enjoy that type of humor, it worked for me. I love to laugh at the absurd in the every day. I think my steady diet of BBC comedies in my youth are the reason behind that. The style of humor in this book has that dry, droll, British wit that I associate with the Brit-coms of my childhood. This book isn’t a comedy, but that seems to be one of the features of the story that really stands out to me. The relationship between Frankie and Sean reminds me a lot of Romancing the Stone; it is a complete comedy of errors. The police procedural portion of this story makes me think of the Lethal Weapon franchise, in that we have a bunch of goofy family moments interrupted by life-threatening action and pursuits. This wasn’t the romantic suspense I was expecting. It was a lot more fun.
December 26, 2019
Keeping up the suspense and the all around badass.
Francesca has grown up being second place to her mother's job. She has tried to follow in her footsteps and works for the FBI, any thing to get her mother's approval and acceptance. Before leaving for a transfer her mother finally told her who her father was.
Now working in the same city as him, she wants to meet him and see who he is. But her new undercover job might get in the way of the getting to know each other. Not to mention the man who has to follow her around as her "fiance" since she stumbled upon trouble her first time in the city.
Sean will do almost anything for his friend..even be a fake fiance to a woman who drives him crazy.
This story has a ton of action and sweet moments that has you cheering for both.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Francesca has grown up being second place to her mother's job. She has tried to follow in her footsteps and works for the FBI, any thing to get her mother's approval and acceptance. Before leaving for a transfer her mother finally told her who her father was.
Now working in the same city as him, she wants to meet him and see who he is. But her new undercover job might get in the way of the getting to know each other. Not to mention the man who has to follow her around as her "fiance" since she stumbled upon trouble her first time in the city.
Sean will do almost anything for his friend..even be a fake fiance to a woman who drives him crazy.
This story has a ton of action and sweet moments that has you cheering for both.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
December 28, 2019
I wasn't a fan of this one. Honestly, I only read a little bit of it, but I just couldn't get into it. Even though I feel like I suspend reality a little bit with every romance I read, this one was just too far out for me. The way Frankie was with her mom, and then her mom had a turn around moment all of sudden after we've been told how estranged they are? Frankie just throwing herself in a middle of situation where she was outnumbered? I thought she was supposed to be smart? Showing up at her dad's house and her stepmom having no questions and acting like a kid that no one knew about showing up was no big deal? Then her an Sean getting thrown together even though he's not a cop or FBI agent. On top of the way it was written was just too much for me.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
March 8, 2020
Mommy Issues
Francesca has been an FBI agent for five years, but her mother has made sure she stayed safe on every operation. She has put in for a transfer to Las Vegas, hopefully far enough away from New York that her mother can't interfere. But her first stop brings trouble when the desk clerk at the low rent motel she checked into is assaulted for not having his "protection" payment on hand. Frankie comes to his aid without letting the thugs know she's FBI and the police take them away. But a few days later the two men's bodies are found in a shallow grave in the desert. And Frankie is sent undercover as the motel's new owner, complete with a fake fiance.
This book had the potential to be great, but fell short in several areas. However, it was still entertaining enough for me to finish it and to check out the next book. It gets 3.5 stars.
Francesca has been an FBI agent for five years, but her mother has made sure she stayed safe on every operation. She has put in for a transfer to Las Vegas, hopefully far enough away from New York that her mother can't interfere. But her first stop brings trouble when the desk clerk at the low rent motel she checked into is assaulted for not having his "protection" payment on hand. Frankie comes to his aid without letting the thugs know she's FBI and the police take them away. But a few days later the two men's bodies are found in a shallow grave in the desert. And Frankie is sent undercover as the motel's new owner, complete with a fake fiance.
This book had the potential to be great, but fell short in several areas. However, it was still entertaining enough for me to finish it and to check out the next book. It gets 3.5 stars.
July 10, 2023
Mimi Barbour has a way of cutting through the BS and getting to what's really important. I like her style. I love her characters. I love that I can see everything from the point of view of the daughter and through the eyes of her parents old and new. I felt that the story, while engaging and hard to put down, was the sideline to the character's development and getting to know her family. That's something I don't see often and love it when I do.
I've spent a lifetime writing, and one thing that I'm always told, because I write a lot of action adventure; tell us more about the characters and who they are. This is important, and somewhere that's not always easy to go. Barbour does it well. I can't wait to read more of her stories and see what Francesca is going to do next. Good job Mimi Barbour!
I've spent a lifetime writing, and one thing that I'm always told, because I write a lot of action adventure; tell us more about the characters and who they are. This is important, and somewhere that's not always easy to go. Barbour does it well. I can't wait to read more of her stories and see what Francesca is going to do next. Good job Mimi Barbour!
July 24, 2018
Good start to interesting series!
This was an enjoyable story about Francesca who is an FBI agent that moves to Las Vegas to start her career and really her life! As a character, she has a great deal going on at the same time. While she is starting her undercover assignment, she meets Sean, who works with law enforcement as a profiler when he is not running his own practice.
I really enjoyed the building of their relationship and how it worked with both her career development and what was going on with her family! I liked her new family, but thought she slipped into that life a little too easily. Overall interesting book with enough action to keep me interested and reading!
This was an enjoyable story about Francesca who is an FBI agent that moves to Las Vegas to start her career and really her life! As a character, she has a great deal going on at the same time. While she is starting her undercover assignment, she meets Sean, who works with law enforcement as a profiler when he is not running his own practice.
I really enjoyed the building of their relationship and how it worked with both her career development and what was going on with her family! I liked her new family, but thought she slipped into that life a little too easily. Overall interesting book with enough action to keep me interested and reading!
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