Live Wire by Lora Leigh (Elite Ops #6)
March 1, 2011
Romantic Suspense
Paperback
St. Martin’s

Reviewed by Mandi

Jordan Malone has spent what has felt like a lifetime in the Elite Ops. He has worked closely with his team, in particular Tehya Talamosi for the past six years. Tehya joined the Elite Ops due to her specialized communications skills. Ironically, her father, a white slaver is the enemy, having killed a good friend of Jordan’s and who tortured and killed Theya’s mother. She has worked as Jordan’s personal assistant among other things. Jordan’s SEALs training has taught him never make friends with those you could lose – so he has hardened himself to push everyone away. He has convinced himself that love will never be possible. The last few years though, watching and lusting after Tehya has been pure agony. He has tried to ignore her, tried to make his feelings go away. But he has many enemies – enemies that would pursue and hurt Tehya if he ever acknowledged more with her.

Now, it is the last night before Tehya leaves for good – she is heading back into civilization to start her life over after her death was staged so enemies would not pursue her. Jordan has to make the decision to follow suit or lead a new team in a few months. This last night together, where they are the only ones left the air is thick with tension. They give into a night of passion – but at the end there is only heartbreak. They both know nothing can come of this – and with much sadness they part ways.

Nine months later, Jordan intercepts a communication of someone who has located Tehya’s new existence. Tehya is now living in Hagerstown, MD, owning a small landscaping company, trying to live an anonymous existence. Jordan assembles a team and rushes to keep her safe, but Tehya is not ready to be on the run again.

Live Wire is book six in Lora Leigh’s Elite Ops book. The first that I have read, but it read very nice as a stand alone. I do believe many of the supporting characters appear in the previous books, but I didn’t feel like I was missing out on the storyline. This is actually the first full-length book by Lora Leigh I have read. I read it in almost one sitting, so it definitely kept my attention. It has a very, very alpha male in Jordan. Tehya and Jordan’s relationship – or their on and off relationship takes center stage. They have one night of hot lovin’ before Tehya runs for the hills. It takes nine months and Tehya’s life threatened for Jordan to come back into her life. The big conflict revolves around Jordan feeling like he can’t commit himself to anyone, since experiencing devastating loss in the past. Actually, I sometimes felt like this fear he has is a little unfounded. Because we are told Tehya is in love with him, waiting for him to come around. But once Jordan is there – Tehya is the one that is always running. So I’m not sure if I fully believed in Jordan’s resistance.

As I said, this is the first Lora Leigh book I have read and the sex scenes definitely lived up to the hype I have read about. They are very edgy, dirty, and oh so smexy. There is enough erections, tight balls, and fluids to last me for a good while. I enjoyed them – definitely not the run of the mill sex scene. Maybe not the most romantic scenes in a romance book – but they are intense and memorable. However, the continuation of them having this hot, emotional sex followed by both of them pushing away from the other got a little old after awhile.

My biggest complaint with this one is Tehya. She has worked for years in Elite Ops yet still when runs into trouble, refuses to seek refuge. Several people come out to risk their lives, and she acts immature and whiney. I just didn’t see her as an Elite Operative. She has been on the run for most of her life, and is sick of it. But, she knows her father was truly an evil man and most likely the people after her will torture or do worse to her if caught. So why walk around so nonchalant? She knows the life she is in – she may not have chosen in, but it is her life. Her attitude wore on my nerves through a lot of the book.

I don’t know if I’ve ever said this in a review, but I have to note the editing in this book surprised me. Numerous times I found misspelled words or a duplicate or missing word. I read the finished version as well, not an arc. It definitely detracted from reading.

So I’m no longer a Lora Leigh virgin! I’m not sure if I will pursue more from this series, but I definitely am interested in checking out her other work.

Rating: C

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