Cold Wicked Lies: A Romantic Thriller

(4.5) Auto buy and no regrets. I purchased this book and I received an arc. I have never read a book by Toni Anderson I didn't like. I would highly recommend any book she writes. Cold Wicked Lies delivered on the suspense, the intrigue, the romance. The prologue made my heart hurt for this young man and I wrapped my heart to protect it as I read. The premise takes you in one direction and the twist at the end was so unexpected. The bickering between Novak and Blood was tempered with respect which enabled them to learn from each other and the relationship seemed real to me, with the one step forward and two steps back. I freely share my thoughts and opinions and recommend this to anyone who likes suspense with some romance with our law enforcement personal.

I received this ARC for my honest review. What can I say about Toni Anderson books? I love them. And Cold Wicked Lies is no different. SSA Charlotte Blood and SSA Payne Novak are thrown together on a case in Washington State when a woman's body is found in the woods and a Forrest Wildlife Officer is shot while in pursuit of the subject. What makes this a little different is that the subject doesn't just get away, he runs into a bunker that his family lives in - complete with fortified concrete walls, making it all the more difficult for the FBI to storm in (not to mention there are women and children living there as well). SSA Blood is a negotiator and SSA Novak is part of the Hostage Rescue Team, so to say that they do not get along in the beginning is an understatement. Seeing their constant disagreement, their boss forces them to be joined at the hip for 72 hours. If you didn't already know about Toni Anderson's books, this would be a dead giveaway that romance would bloom between these two. And it does. Having said that, something felt a little off on their chemistry in my opinion. Their first kiss was well written and I could feel the chemistry but their first sex scene just felt off for me. I don't know, maybe this was one of those book where I felt more chemistry between them when they were bickering than when they were engaged in intimacy. The suspense aspect of this novel got me. We know early on - like first chapter or two - that the main subject of the FBI, TJ, is innocent of killing the woman in the woods. He was only out there to meet his secret girlfriend when he discovered the body. Thinking it was his girlfriend, he went over to check her pulse when the Forrest Wildlife Officer came upon him. So, who actually killed the woman? I figured that part out about halfway through the novel. But I was not prepared for a last second twist. So kudos to that because I just didn't see it coming. As per the standard layout for a romantic suspense novel, the two main characters disliked each other greatly, then forced to spend time together fell in love. And as per usual, the woman finds herself in trouble near the end of the book and the man has to rescue her. This aspect of romantic suspense novels doesn't bother me. All of my favorite authors are great at writing strong woman capable of kicking ass (and Charlotte does a great job of it in this novel). The get their happily ever after and the bad guys are found and dealt with. All in all, a great read for Toni Anderson fans.

I don't know how she does it but, every book Toni writes gets better and better! I love every single thing she has written and this book is no different. Charlotte and Payne are thrown together but, not by choice. They can't get along so they are forced together so they can prove they can actually work as a team. Their banter and heat sizzle and I loved the journey of their relationship. The story was highly entertaining and as per usual Toni fashion, had me glued to the pages and guessing what could happen right up to the very end. A woman is murdered, people have been living in a bunker for years and they think one of them killed the woman. Nothing is what it seems. Another amazing, suspenseful and thrilling romance. I love seeing old faces from the Cold Justice series and getting to see what could be next. I can't wait for more from this outstanding series!