3.5 stars
I've read this book several times now and I like it more every time. I like Ms. Anderson's stories; her characters, her plots, her sense of humor. The men are confident, cocky, but not usually assholes. Killion was a bit of an exception. I didn't like him at first but I warmed up to him. It took him way too long to figure out the truth about Audrey and I just wanted to smack him. To be fair, Audrey was a little slow at understanding what was going on though she had ignorance as an excuse. And when things got too heavy, Anderson would lighten up scenes with humor, especially with lots of frog jokes. They made me laugh.
"Cold in the Shadows" was fast-paced, intense, steamy, and tender. Audrey is a smart, sassy nerd. Killion is patriotic, loyal, caring, and a master at compartmentalizing his feelings. They bring out the best in each other, though there are a few missteps along the way. Trust is a challenge for both of them; it's both instinctive and hard-won and vital to the health of their relationship.
Although the inciting event to this story occurs in a previous book, you can read this as a stand alone. Anderson provides enough backstory to keep things moving smoothly. The villains are ruthless, a little OTT at times, and the good guys are tough, funny, raunchy, and responsible. I cursed, I laughed, I cheered, and I didn't want to put the book down.