Kennedy Layne is a master at getting you emotionally invested with characters. They are interesting, layered, multifaceted people who you want to know more about. This makes her series especially compelling because even characters who do not "star" in a particular book are a very rich part of them. You get to know them book after book, and suddenly, they get to star in their own installment.
Radiant Surrender is *that* book, the one you have been waiting for, the characters you have been dying to see step into the forefront of a story. And boy, was it worth waiting for. In spades.
Gavin Crest is the alpha male boss of the CSA team, a savvy former marine running a top notch security firm who knows when to use brute force versus his canny political instincts and connections. He has hardened his heart and through the previous books in the series, felt he had to protect his employee Jessica from himself, denying their attraction time after time until she quits her job and moves on.
The common thread of the series is uber bad guy international assassin Ryland who has targeted CSA and their significant others book after book. Now he plays a cat and mouse game with the US government and clandestine ops factions gone rogue on one side and CSA on the other. No spoilers in saying he drags Jessica and her family right into the middle of his machinations where only Gavin Crest and CSA can save her.
In doing so, Gavin and Jessica finally take the risk and give into their attraction. What follows is scorchingly hot dominance and submission taken to the nth degree. It's about Jessica daring to explore into Gavin's deepest, darkest desires; about Gavin opening himself to believe in the light she can bring to balance his darkness, and the risks they are both willing to take for each other.
Radiant Surrender wraps up a few story arcs and teases us with intriguing new CSA team member Townes and what comes next for Ryland and even gives us a tease about the next in her Red Starr series.
You could read this as a stand alone but don't. Stop what you are doing, go buy all the CSA books and read those, in order. Trust me.....you'll be glad you did.