Police sergeant Alyssa Morgan is in charge of setting up a law enforcement agency on an Iroquois reserve. She is seen as an outsider and her help is unwelcomed. Rémi Whitedeer is the only clan member willing to listen, but even he is not keen on being policed by a government agency. Alyssa has worked in difficult situations before but this task presents a particularly difficult challenge because she finds herself emotionally drawn to Rémi, a man she shouldn’t get involved with for a host of reasons. Rémi is also falling in love with Alyssa, but if they marry she won’t be accepted as part of the Iroquois Nation and chances are he, and any future children, will be disbanded. Alyssa and Rémi want to bring peace and safety and a solution that works for both sides, but members of the Iroquois Nation see civil war as the only means of achieving complete independence from the government. Everything pales for Rémi in the face of nearly losing Alyssa when she is targeted and nearly killed. No matter the sacrifice Rémi has to make, it will be worth it if Alyssa wants to be with him.

Deadly Addiction/Deadly Vices Book 2 by Kristine Cayne is gritty, gripping and unpredictable, all qualities I enjoy in a good novel. It was refreshing that I couldn’t predict what would happen next and even when I did, I was wrong and pleasantly surprised. The insight into Iroquois culture was interesting and enlightening. The various subplots combined to make an amazing story. The characters are well developed and have interesting lives. Alyssa is a memorable character who is beautiful and strong. There are many layers to her personality and as each one is revealed it gets more and more intriguing. Who would have imagined that her boyfriend while undercover on another case would reappear in her current case? While appearing to be the worst kind of human, he also shows a human side that I couldn’t help rooting for and hoping he could change his life somehow. Seeing the hard side as well as the human side of Alyssa’s character allows the reader to really connect with her. Rémi is just beautiful, inside and out, and I did feel empathy for him in having to make the choice between family and love. Their relationship is not without problems but they stand strong, bolstered by their love. This story is great and while I hadn’t read the first novel before reading the second, I will be purchasing the first and last novel in the series. Deadly Addiction/Deadly Vices Book 2 features good writing, a riveting story and realistic, remarkable characters.

~ Susan for AReCafe ( )

Deadly Addiction, written by Kristine Cayne, is an outstanding novel earning a solid 5 out of 5 stars. Before reading Cayne’s Deadly Vices series, I had never read an actual romantic thriller/mystery. I had read plenty of romances with a slight plot twist to keep things interesting and keep the novel from revolving around love, sex, and “soul mates”. Never have I read romance novels written with the talent and skill that Cayne possesses.

First off, I need to say that the characters are brilliant. Cayne gives the opportunity to get to know the characters through many different sets of eyes, as the story is told through many different viewpoints. Typically, this isn’t something I am a fan of; however, she pulls it off without creating confusion.

Each character is unique and has many different layers, creating believable individuals who stir the most basic of human emotions. Rémi Whitedeer and Alyssa Morgan were by far my favorite characters. I loved them individually – their struggles and inner-demons, as well as their triumphs and compassion. I also love the way the two played off each other.

The way that Cayne told each character’s back-story a little bit at a time, rather than all at once in the beginning of the novel or upon introduction was a refreshing change. It left a slight air of mystery about the characters and helped them to feel more life-like.

The final aspect of Deadly Addiction that I want to mention is, honestly, just how addicting this novel is! Much like it’s predecessor (which I was thrilled to find Addiction wasn’t a literal sequel to Obsession), Addiction is a fast paced, romance and action packed novel; however, not to the point of being over-whelming. It’s attention grabbing and once it has your attention it doesn’t let go until the final pages. While the action and suspense is definitely there and there are your standard lulls in the adrenaline and the romance also helps to break up the thrill seeking, adrenaline-rushing. These lulls help the novel to find that perfect medium between “nail-biting suspense/mystery” and “sappy sex-driven romance” novel. What you find in the end, is sheer perfection and I’m not quite sure how I’m going to make it until the next novel comes out. ( )