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SCVC Taskforce #4

Deadly Intent

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She’ll do anything to find her sister…

Deep undercover with a Tijuana drug cartel, FBI agent Sophia Diaz is two days away from making the biggest bust of her career…and tracking down her sister who went missing ten years ago. But when a rival cartel puts out a hit on her, there’s only one man who can keep her alive.

He’ll do anything to keep her safe…

Immigration enforcement officer, Nelson Cruz, has his hands full with his own operation while undercover as a member of the Savages motorcycle gang. When orders come down that he has to protect the sexy, but oh-so-aloof, Agent Diaz without breaking his cover, Nelson must put his skills to the ultimate test. Especially since a previous relationship with Sophie compromised his career and wreaked havoc on his heart.

South of the border is no place to die…

Nelson’s never gotten over the time he spent in Sophie’s bed or the fact she double-crossed him on their last mission together. He can’t trust her…and she doesn’t trust anybody. As the two fight their red-hot, south of the border attraction, Nelson discovers a secret that could destroy Sophie’s world forever. Once again, he’s forced to put his job—and his life—on the line for her. Can he keep her alive and out of prison? Or will their careers, as well as their hearts, go up in the flames of desire?

***If you love romantic thrillers, don’t miss this action-packed read - the fourth novel in the SCVC Taskforce Romantic Suspense Series by USA TODAY bestselling author Misty Evans!

***Others books in series include:
Deadly Pursuit, Book 1
Deadly Deception, Book 2
Deadly Force, Book 3

***Part of the proceeds from sales of the story will go to benefit MIRA USA who provide guide dogs free of charge to blind children and youth between the ages of 11-17, and to 4 Paws For Ability whose mission is to enrich the lives of children with disabilities by the training and placement of quality, task-trained service dogs to provide increased independence for the children. They place dogs with youth and veterans and assist with animal rescue when possible.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 13, 2015

87 people are currently reading
157 people want to read

About the author

Misty Evans

112 books462 followers
USA TODAY Bestselling Author Misty Evans is celebrating her 100th published novel in 2025. She loves writing urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and mystery/suspense. Under her pen name, Nyx Halliwell, she also writes supernatural cozy mysteries.

When not reading or writing (which is most of the time), she enjoys music, movies, and hanging out with her husband, twin sons, and three spoiled rescue dogs. She’s a crafter at heart and has far too many projects to finish.

Visit www.mistyevansbooks.com to check out her online store and sign up for her newsletter.

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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Profile Image for Sunny.
1,452 reviews
July 25, 2015
From the blurb, this book has all the elements of my favorite kind of romantic suspense - a second chance love story, an on-the-edge alpha hero who is willing to risk it all for love, and a strong-willed, kick-butt heroine who can go toe to toe with the hero.Unfortunately, although the story was suspenseful, the hero was honorable, and there was a good dose of smexy, I find the heroine so unlikeable that ultimately, I found it difficult to enjoy the story.

Things that made me stamp my feet in frustration:

The greatest problem I have with Sophia is her duplicity and dishonesty. Coming into the story, she has already betrayed Nelson in the past. She is undercover in a criminal cartel, so I understand the need maintain a cover. However, she keeps lying to Nelson...the man she supposedly loves. Her refusal to come clean over her other clandestine activities is very frustrating. He gives her an opportunity after opportunity to tell the truth and even offers to help her at the risk of his own job, and STILL she deceives him. I understand Sophia's motivation and admire her need to protect others, but her inability to let him into her confidence, let him help, undermined the veracity of their relationship.

Things that made the book worth finishing:

The best part of the book is Nelson. He is a standout character. As a member of the Southern California Violent Crimes Taskforce, he knows what it means to work as a part of a team. He is conflicted and his decision to support Sophia times is frustrating, but I do admire his loyalty to the woman he loves.

Things that made me scratch my head:

Clearly, bad guy Rodrigo Morales is attracted to Sophia, his bookkeeper. Given that, you would think that Nelson and Sophia would keep their attraction low profile, but at every turn they are together in front of other members of Rodrigo's staff. The couple doesn't seem to have much fear about being caught.

This theme permeates other parts of the story as well. For example, Nelson and Sophia go to Rodrigo's warehouse to search for contraband. In the dark of night, Nelson turns on the "industrial lighting overhead [flooding] the warehouse." I thought they were trying to be stealth in their investigation.

IN A NUTSHELL:
Perhaps Sophia's character crossed a boundary for me that I could not forgive, and this may not be true for all readers. With so many other great romantic suspense stories out there, I can't enthusiastically recommend this book. However, I'm curious about the rest of the series and am willing to go back to read book one.

Review also posted at Love Affair with an E-Reader
2,425 reviews43 followers
July 13, 2015
Deadly Intent is thrilling, fast passed, terrifying, and awesome. Sophia has been undercover with a Mexican cartel for nine months and her work is almost done when her boss sends in an agent to pull her out. Not only does she want to complete the assignment and make the arrest herself, but she has another reason for being there. This is the cartel that she believes kidnapped her younger sister years ago and it may be her only clue to her sister’s whereabouts. No way is she leaving until she has the information she needs. It doesn’t help that the man they send is one who lives in her dreams.

I do have one warning for those who have an extreme fear of snakes; the cartel leader keeps python’s and anacondas. Even snakes on the page and behind glass pushes my fear factor a little closer to the edge than I like but I loved the writing, the story and the characters too much to give up. If I can make it, almost anyone can.

I love this series but I also had to buy this book because a portion of the proceeds go to two amazing organization that provide animals for those who those in need of support who do not fit the standard requirements: MIRA a group that provides guide dogs for youth between 11 and 16, the age at which other organizations take over, and 4Paws4Ability which provide service dogs for youth and for veterans.
Profile Image for Margaret.
609 reviews14 followers
July 27, 2015
Another great romantic suspense from Misty Evans. With a slightly darker edge, this book starts with action on the first page and doesn’t stop until the end. The romance, like the overall story, was a bit dark and edgy, and worked nicely with the undercover operation and past history Nelson and Sophie share.

I loved the fact that Sophie was a total bad-ass. She definitely knew how to take care of herself but...her need to do things by herself all the time was really frustrating. I understood her motivation, especially as it related to her sister, but boy did I want her to take the help that Nelson offered. I liked seeing the more human side to her as well, watching her take care of her “boss's” little sister Lexie, and her insistence that she not become a casualty in the gang war her brother has created.

Nelson was just an awesome hero. He so wanted to follow the “one bitten, twice shy” mantra with Sophie, but he couldn’t deny he wanted her and I loved that no matter what, his loyalty to her never wavered – especially as challenging as she could be and some of the things she was involved with. I loved his honesty and willingness to do what he needed to, and of course all of that being wrapped up in one sexy, skilled, alpha male didn’t hurt either!

There was no lack of chemistry between Nelson and Sophie, and that chemistry seemed to spill over in to their working together – despite Sophie’s efforts to keep Nelson out of her “case”. The edge to their relationship was perfect for the danger they were in and I just knew Sophie wouldn’t be able to deny Nelson, especially once she admitted that she might need him.

I loved the plot of the story. It had a very real feel to it, and it seemed to be something that I might expect to read about or see in a breaking news update. Again, the whole book exuded a dark and dangerous edge, and it totally worked. There was minimal involvement from the SCVC Taskforce, but they were there when needed, and I loved the way some of their other cases were tied into this one. I also loved the ending, watching the SCVC Taskforce members outside of the job, being more like a family than a group of highly specialized agents.

This is a great story for anyone who likes a romantic suspense with lots of action and a bit of edge. Deadly Intent will not disappoint!

I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review.
Profile Image for Amy R.
592 reviews5 followers
September 17, 2015
I can't get enough of Misty Evans' books! She writes romantic suspense so well. She is always creative with her story ideas and her intimate scenes are pretty darn hot! I love her SCVC Taskforce books and Deadly Intent is another great one to read. If you like romantic suspense, check this book and series out.
Profile Image for Elisa.
3,232 reviews44 followers
October 12, 2016
Another awesome story in this series from this author
Profile Image for Romancing the Book.
4,420 reviews221 followers
October 8, 2019
Reviewed by Robin
Book provided by the author

I liked this action/suspense romance. I liked that Nelson and Sophie had a past this makes it so that the story doesn’t go smooth and has those hidden bumps along the way. Which I think makes it a more interesting story when adding in the element of past chemistry.

They are both undercover agents each after the same drug cartel. Sophia’s agenda is a little more personal she needs to find her kidnapped sister while Nelson is going in to get Sophia out and back to the states before they are taken down.

I liked that Nelson although he had a job to do he wasn’t so headstrong that he didn’t feel something for Sophia’s plight. Whether it was at first because of their past or just because he is human it added that human aspect to the situation. Making him seem more likable and not at hard assed like most agents.  Nelson finds he bends the rules for Sophia adding conflict to the story as he is supposed to keep her safe and out of danger. Sophia is an agent after all and can be a little headstrong.

The plot held issues that were believable as well as being full of tension that helped draw me in.
I enjoyed the way Ms. Evans gave that human aspect to not only the good guys but also the bad guys. It is after all a story with a family element. Sophia wanted to find her sister while the head of the cartel felt what she was going through because he also has a sister her wishes to protect and loves. They shared a bond so to speak. Felt the compassion in being an older sibling. This added in making the story something that was easy to relate to. It helped in making the characters more realistic.

With high stakes…in matters of the heart along with action packed suspense I found this to be a nice change of pace.  I think that this make for a good summertime read or maybe even a relaxing week-end on the patio with a nice glass of lemonade.
Profile Image for Jo-Ann Fitzgerald.
753 reviews2 followers
September 7, 2019
This is the 4th book of the series. I read one of the other series first. I would start with this series if
I were a new reader.

If you want to read what the book is about, read above the reviews.

This book is based upon a group of alphabet agencies working together as teammates who fall in love while working cases.

Our hero is undercover on another assignment. When he’s reassigned to help out another agent, and one he finds very attractive, nothing can stop him from getting there. He never wanted their affair or relationship to end, but respected it when the heroine ended it. What he doesn’t like is when his partner double crosses him.

Our heroine is determined to get the information where her sister is and bring down the cartel. However, she did fall for the sister of the person in charge of it. However, their old affair is now out as its part of the hero’s cover, can she resist him? She has a really hard time with trust, but her childhood caused her to be this way.

The plot is a different spin on two agents working together after having an affair. However, this was interesting the way the author played on family and the differences in typical bad guys and good guys. Throw in a hurricane and hang on.

It was an interesting read, and there were some surprises along the way which is always good. The writing was a bit different in this one as the story line going getting exciting before falling flat, then rose again. Good but I hope the author has a better story line in the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Debbie Collins.
804 reviews7 followers
August 30, 2022
"Deadly Intent" is the fourth book in the SCVC Taskforce series and I could not put this book down. Sophia Diaz is an FBI agent currently undercover with a Tijuana drug cartel, she not only intends on busting them but also finding her sister who has been missing for ten years. When a rival drug cartel comes after Sophia, Nelson Cruz who is an immagration enforcement officer gets his orders to protect her. He is deep undercover with the Savages motorcycle club and that along with the fact that Sophia double-crossed him on their last mission does not sit well with Nelson, but he will put his life and his job on the line for her one more time.
Action packed romantic suspense at it's best!!
7,768 reviews50 followers
March 12, 2019
Nelson is undercover as part of the Savages motorcycle gang. FBI agent Sophia is looking for her sister, last seeing her was ten years ago with a drug cartel. Now working undercover for a drug cartel, when anther drug cartel puts a hit on her. Who but Nelson could protect her. Without blowing his cover it will be tricky. With secrets she had it could be the end for both of them. Fast action.
Profile Image for Michelle.
513 reviews2 followers
July 13, 2018
It took a lot of effort for me to finish this book. Why? Because I detested Sophie, I felt she was never honest, always hiding things. Plus, she was an FBI agent who was breaking the law. That really really irks me.

This is one book that I wouldn’t recommend to anyone.
Profile Image for Sue .
735 reviews35 followers
July 16, 2015
In Deadly Intent Misty Evans gave me a whirlwind of action, suspense, and romance. Nelson and Sophie have a past, and now they have a present together too...but will they have a future together?

Nelson and Sophie's past is interesting, and the feelings still swirl around them when they are together, as much as Sophie in particular doesn't want them to. She has her own end goal and passion, one she keeps secret even from Nelson. Although Sophie was a difficult character at times to understand and get to know, I had to admire her strength and determination. Sophie did not come across as a team player, but she'll have no choice where Nelson is concerned! I really liked Nelson. He has a job to do, orders to carry out, but for Sophie he bends them, he goes with the flow (even if it is dangerous), and does what he believes to be the best thing to do given the circumstances. He hasn't forgotten the past either, and despite of it, he still wants Sophie...not only to be safe, but for himself. Can he have both though? Or either even?

There is a lot of conflict, tension, and danger in Deadly Intent. Enough to keep me on the edge as I read, hoping that Sophie and Nelson could find resolution not only for the case they are working on but for themselves. As I read Deadly Intent the plot felt like it could be real, and the danger felt very real! The passion between Nelson and Sophia fills the pages, and the issues these two have are believable.

There are quite a few secondary characters and some of the background is easier to understand if you have read the previous books in this series by Misty Evans (Southern California Violent Taskforce) who are easier to understand if you read the previous books in this series. Lexi, who is the villains sister, adds some extra emotional depth to the plot too.

Deadly Intent is fast paced and easy to read, and I'd recommend it and this series to any romantic suspense reader.
138 reviews
July 13, 2015
Deadly Intent by Misty Evans is the fourth book in her Southern California Violent Crimes series. I can always count on Ms. Evans to provide a romantic suspense novel that is more than just a romance novel.

Sophia is an undercover FBI agent intent on bringing down a big drug cartel in Tijuana, Mexico while locating her sister who was kidnapped by the same cartel. Nelson is an undercover ICE Agent sent to bring Sophia back to the states before they have their big bust against Rodrigo, who is the same drug lord. I have to say that it took me a little bit to be fully into this book. I think it had more to do with Sophia’s attitude and treatment towards Nelson than anything else. Once Sophia was a little more trusting and on-board with Nelson being there, I became fully engrossed and didn’t want to put it down: the danger, deception and action made this a face-paced novel. Did I mention the snakes that also kept it very interesting? I was hoping they wouldn’t have to come face-to-face with those huge anacondas.

Ms. Evans also brought some love and compassion to this novel which was not limited to the good guys. Rodrigo cared very deeply for his little sister that he abandoned his true calling to be a gemologist to take care of her. Unfortunately, as the only son, he ended up running his father’s cartel. Sophia not only had compassion for Rodrigo’s little sister because she reminded her of her own, but for others who were less fortunate.

If you like Misty Evans’ books, then this is a must read for you. I enjoyed not only the story but the cover as well. This is a solid 4-star book.

*** I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review that is my own. ***

526 reviews11 followers
July 19, 2015
Deadly Intent is the fourth book in Misty Evans’ series Southern California Violent Crimes Taskforce (SCVCT). I have read the three prior books in the series and I look forward to reading the next installment.

I liked the book but, for me, it seemed the first two-thirds moved along slowly. I felt as though the story line didn’t develop as quickly as it had in her previous SCVCT books. I loved Nelson but felt as though Sophia’s character just dragged along. She didn’t want to be a part of a team, at first, and I think that’s what bothered me. But once she gave became more trusting of Nelson, the book seemed to pick-up the pace. I did, however, like Sophia’s interaction with Lexie, Rodrigo’s younger sister who is blind. Sophia wanted her to have a better life and she worked to make that happen. The snakes kept the book interesting as did the search for Sophia’s sister. The surprise at the end of the book was a perfect ending.

Once the novel pick-up its pace for me, I couldn’t put it down. Between the snakes and fighting off the cartel members, I was glued to my seat. Ms. Evan’s definitely knows how to craft a romantic suspense novel. She lures the reader in and always provides a more than satisfying happily ever after. I recommend anything that Ms. Evans writes. I’d like to disclose that I received a copy of Deadly Intent in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Profile Image for Renee Entress.
5,600 reviews78 followers
July 29, 2015
4 star

I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, murder, suspense, betrayal, pain, secrets, lies, and heartbreak.

If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first
Deadly Pursuit (Southern California Violent Crimes Taskforce, #1)
Deadly Deception (Southern California Violent Crimes Taskforce, #2)
Deadly Force (Southern California Violent Crimes Taskforce, #3)

This is Sophie and Nelson’s story. Sophie likes to work alone. She has been on the case for months when Nelson is sent in to pull her out. No way is she pulling out when she is so close to closing the case. She needs the clues from this case to find her sister. Nelson and Sophie have a shared past where she betrayed him in the past so no matter what he is going to stick close. Can Nelson stick close but keep out of Sophie’s bed so he can help solve the case? How far will Sophie go in her risks of the case? Will all the lies Sophie tells come back to harm them both in the end? Will she ever find out the information that will help her find her sister?

I felt I was able to connect with the characters and the story was a great read.
I recommend this book and can’t wait for the next story from this author.
Profile Image for Leann.
110 reviews2 followers
July 9, 2015
Deadly Intent by Misty Evans - ARC Review

This book gave me nightmares about snakes.

The book on the whole is really good, it is well written and the story is interesting and the characters are engaging and there are a couple of nice little twists. I gave it a three for two reasons;

1. after all the time and effort of the story line of the bad guys littler sister, there was barely any interaction between her and Sophia at the end, I felt like there should have been more hugs-tears-promises.....I thought "well that just sucked".

2. although the book was good and kept me interested, the genre of Rom/Suspense really does not do it for me. It's my personal preference not to have reality in my entertainment. If this is your genre, you will love this book Ms. Evans is always worth reading.
Profile Image for Laura.
2,557 reviews
July 14, 2015
Great Series!
This is a great series; this is the fourth book in the SCVC Taskforce Series by Misty Evans. Sophia Diaz is an FBI agent and has gone deep undercover with a Tijuana drug cartel. She is days away from busting this group and tracking down her missing sister when a rival cartel puts a hit on her. Nelson Cruz is an Immigration enforcement officer who has been working undercover as a member of the Savages motorcycle gang. He gets orders to protect Sopia without blowing his cover. This is a great book that kept me reading most of the night, because I didn’t want to put it down. This book has it all, romance, suspense and mystery. I can’t wait until the next book in this series comes out.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
Profile Image for Deb Schwartz.
534 reviews19 followers
July 15, 2015
What do you get when you put the spy world and passions of the heart together...I got one hell of a book I could not put down. *grins*

Sophia Diaz is so in your face, I love this Heroine. Her love for her sister and others, her passions they all just jump off the pages at me. Sophia will do what it takes to find her sister even take down the ones who have her. What she did not expect is to have the man she ran from showing up in her life.

Nelson Cruz is smart, sexy and so out of his league when it comes to dealing with Agent Diaz. I almost felt sorry for him. (almost) Can Nelson keep his cover and keep Sophia out of trouble? It was really fun to watch him try. This hero lets nothing get in his way well except his heart.


Read More. . . http://www.romanceswithalittlekick.co...
Profile Image for Linda Quick.
1,330 reviews30 followers
August 1, 2015
This is a great addition to the SVCC series. I love the strong characters that struggle to do the right thing under impossible circumstances. In this book, we find Sophia deep undercover in a cartel, but issues from her own childhood add complications that she might not be able to overcome. Then a lover from her past shows up and threatens everything. Misty Evans creates strong, bold characters that are flawed. It makes them more real. Even the villain, while very evil, has a soft side.

This novel kept me up late into the night to finish it. If you like romantic suspense, you will love this book. You can's go wrong with a book by Misty Evans and she is on my must read authors' list.

Thank you to the author for providing a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Chrissy.
433 reviews6 followers
July 13, 2015
****I was given this book in exchange for a Honest Review****

I was so excited to receive this book, from Misty Evens I just knew it was going to be so good. As soon I received this book, I had to read it.

I always love her books, and this book was so GOOD. I loved Sophia and Nelson I loved the Suspense, the action the romance. Just everything about this book.....

As Always I wish I could give this book, more then five stars. I have no idea how Ms. Evens does it every time, but her books are worth reading and more then once.

Get it today!
13 reviews
August 31, 2015
This is a harder book than the others to get into but well worth it. The story is deep but edgy with all the other components you expect from this collection. The people are hard but with soft spots you slowly fall in love with. Lexie is a great side character too. Not 5 star as the end of the story was a little week from such a strong book and I thought it could handle more if a gritty conclusion all round but Great addition to the collection really loved it well done again misty evens you are a great story teller and so happy you always end with a HEA
Profile Image for Dawn Cruikshank.
1,132 reviews8 followers
April 8, 2016
OMG! This is such a good book! It will keep you on the edge of your seat. If the bad guys don't get you - sometimes Mother Nature will. So glad this couple worked out and the sister was found safe and sound. Can't wait for the next book to come out - whenever that will be. This is a good series to read!
Profile Image for vyoletkyss.
811 reviews
January 5, 2016
I think out of the four of this series that has been released, this was the strongest of them all. It certainly had the most depth and plot, as well as a well delineated environment. Not sure if there are more of these books coming out or not but these were good fluff reads.
Profile Image for Sue.
391 reviews1 follower
Read
August 8, 2015
Series

Another great read by Misty Evans. These books are best read in order to keep everyone straight. Great plot great interaction.
Profile Image for Sue Stewart.
1,680 reviews11 followers
February 14, 2016
This is such a good series! Love the characters and the suspense in each story.
Profile Image for Toi.
4,265 reviews
December 6, 2016
Wow

When you go under cover you don't expect to fall in love with the other agent sent to being you home - Sophie and Nels is quite a thriller and a wonderful love story.
Profile Image for Coral.
776 reviews31 followers
January 13, 2017
Plot: 3/5
Characterisation: 2.5/5
Prose: 3.5/5
How much I enjoyed it: 3/5
347 reviews
January 27, 2023
Wow. Undercover can be so Deadly. Lots of plot twists, very good romance, and a very surprise ending. Keep them coming Misty Evans.
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