Purchased Amazon April 30, 2022

Xan had been in the witness protection program for ten years, along with her teenage son, Scott, after turning her ex-husband in to the FBI because of his connection with the mafia. When he found out he tried to kill her. She had to change her name and move every few years. On her way to her new home, Xan's car broke down. She instantly lusts after the tow truck driver, Brody, but can't give into her desires because of her secrets. Brody isn't only a mechanic though. Along with the other men at the garage, he is secretly working for the FBI, amongst others as a contracted specialist. They take on jobs the government can't. One of those jobs is to protect Xan. Since Brody also lusts after Xan he's afraid to be near her. On top of that he had a head injury years earlier leaving him with no memory of his life before that time. When he sees Xan he knows she is familiar to him but doesn't know why.

Their attraction is so strong that they can't stay away from each other. But Brody's afraid he had been intimate with her, or worse, in his earlier life so tries to stay clear of her. When they find out Xan's ex is being released from prison, Brody tries to keep her and Scott safe.

I really liked this well written romantic suspense. It's heavy on the suspense but light on the romance. Lots of steamy sex though. There were lots of twists and turns to this story, keeping you guessing who the bad guy was. What a surprise ending! I loved not seeing that coming. Xan was a wonderful woman who coped with running and having to change her name and home every couple of years. Even with living such a stressful life, she was a great mother, always looking out for her son and trying to give him a normal life. Poor Brody. He didn't know much about his life before his injury and had to rely on information Colonel was able to dig up. Because of his lack of knowledge about his life, he held back on his feelings for Xan, worried that he had been involved with her before. Other than that, he was a strong, very capable man who was able to do his job well.

If it wasn't for the erotica (which I personally don't care to read) I would have given this 5 stars. ( )

"Brody “Brutus” Jackson isn’t your average small-town mechanic. The shop where he spends his days doubles as the headquarters for the mercenary group he works with. They jokingly call themselves the Bang Shift because the government contracts they take are the less savory ones, and they’re all just shady enough to do what’s necessary to get the jobs done. As far as Brody’s concerned, it’s the perfect arrangement for a man with no memory of his past, and no hope for the future.

Under FBI protection, Alexandria Collins and her son have been in hiding for ten years. When it’s time to move again, her piece of crap car breaks down and the man giving her a tow is the biggest, hottest guy she’s ever seen. She is determined to ignore the need her long-neglected body hungers for. After all, the last man she showed interest in put a gun to her head." (quote from book description)

This is a well-written book with surprise turns and steamy situations. Might be a little stretch that an abused woman would jump into some acts with no hesitation. Still a worthwhile read; I'm hunting for the next book in series! ( )