A Cold Dark Place

Alex Parker works for a shadowy government agency as an assassin. He doesn't like it, but it's a commitment he made. When he meets Mallory Rooney, an FBI Special Agent with a haunted past, he falls instantly in lust, but when she starts investigating a potential vigilante - him, he's ordered to keep an eye on her. He gets closer than his bosses ever imagined, and their feelings become so much more than lust. When Mallory's life is endangered by the same person that abducted her twin sister 18 years ago, Alex will stop at nothing to keep her safe. But with all the lies, can they ever make things work?

I really enjoyed Toni Anderson's writing, it was captivating. I listened to the book in one sitting, once I started I just couldn't bear to stop. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It had more of a thriller feel to it than a romance, don't get me wrong, it did contain plenty of romance so all you romance junkies will be satisfied, and just in case you're wondering, it had some steamy moments that romance lovers are going to swoon over, but it's not the primary focus of the story. I love a bit of a mystery and wondering when the main characters are going to figure stuff out, so I really enjoyed that aspect of it. I'll definitely be listening to more in the series. If you like Criminal Minds? I think you'll love this book.

The main characters were very likable. I thought Mallory was a strong woman that had been through a lot and kept going, she never gave up. She ignored the horrible things that people said and did around her. I don't know how she did it. I wanted to punch a couple of people on her behalf. Her sense of justice made her feel very real and the conflict she had. Alex was a wonderful character, he was riddled with guilt and his inner demons, but he fought them and did what he felt was right. He's the type of hero that blurs the lines between good and bad a little, but not an anti-hero. He was a man making the best out of his situation. I liked the way they gave each other something that they didn't realise they were missing. Watching them come together and their relationship bloom was interesting, mainly because of them really being on such opposite sides of the law. Their relationship was sweet and that contrasted well with the horrible things that were eluded to in the book.

Eric G Dove is a dream. I loved his performance, it was riveting. I was hooked. His characterisations worked well, and each character was distinct. He conveyed the emotion the characters were feeling and the inflections he used really gave the performance that much more power. I will be looking for more of his work in the future. The production was fine with no issues that I could tell.

Hated the tropes this book used. Hated. But the writing was good. Would read a different genre by this author.