Shiver Of Fear (The Guardian Angelinos #2) By Roxanne St. Claire
Romantic Suspense
March 29, 2011
Paperback
Forever

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “She looked down two hundred feet and for the first time didn’t feel terrified or dizzy. Just free. To live and love.”

Devyn Sterling, the daughter of an international fugitive, was brutally betrayed by her husband and is searching for her biological mother. When Devyn heads to Ireland to find her mother and get some answers about her past, she doesn’t know she’s being followed and watched every step of the way. Someone doesn’t want her in Ireland. And they’ll do whatever it takes to send her home.

Shiver Of Fear is a suspenseful smooth paced romantic thriller that had me stumped from page one. Ms St. Claire doesn’t play up the romance as much here as she did in Edge Of Sight but more then makes up for it with a delicious mystery that twists, turns, and misdirects until the very end.

In the second Guardian Angelinos series, Marc Rossi runs the show. A former FBI agent, he left when his wife compromised his life and his job. He now runs a gun shop and works part time for his cousins,Vivi and Nick Angelino in their new consulting business. When Special Agent Colton Lang of the F.B.I. hires the Guardians Angelinos to find Devyn Sterling and bring her home, Marc is put on the case. Marc doesn’t know what to think when he meets Devyn. Not at all like he imagined; he finds himself attracted to her and wants to help her. As Marc and Devyn search the beautiful countryside of Ireland for clues to her mother’s where abouts, the secrets and lies mount up as shadowy figures play a dangerous game of cat and mouse and the loser will lose more then the game. They will lose their life.

Marc and Devyn were created for each other. Both betrayed by those they love; they are cautious and suspicious by necessity. Devyn is a strong intelligent woman but feels worthless and unable to rise above her criminal father’s past. Somewhat impulsive, she has wrapped herself in a fairytale concerning her birth mother-a fairytale involving the two of them reuniting and her finally finding someone who loves her.

Marc is controlled in his emotions and secretive. He only reveals what he needs to. I found it somewhat funny that due to Marc’s past, honesty is very important to him yet he isn’t all that honest with Devyn in the beginning.

Marc wants to help Devyn but feels that unless he can make her see that the past doesn’t have to control the future-he fears nothing will develop between them. They both have their secrets and play them close to their vests. I did like that Devyn doesn’t automatically “bow” to Marc’s wishes. She is in Ireland on a mission and nothing is going to stop her. Marc is used to being in charge and Devyn’s independent streak seems to stump him at times. He does give into her easily but better that then she go off alone-which she will.

Ms. St. Claire allows this romance to develop very slowly; keeping their personalities and the situation at hand in perspective. It took awhile for me to warm up to Devyn and Marc. At first, there was no connection for me. Maybe because of the reason they meet. After a while I got more comfortable with them but still didn’t get the level of chemistry and passion I got from Sam and Nick in Edge Of Sight. There were some scenes that left me feeling a little put off by Devyn. One being Devyn’s insecurities about herself. I can empathize with her, especially when you hear her background, but the whole, “Why can’t someone love me?” issue becomes redundant. There is also a very emotional scene involving Devyn & Marc that felt off. I understood the value of it in the storyline but the whole scene just felt weird and embarrassing.

Our secondary characters are a fantastic mix of deception. A fascinating look at the secret war in Ireland and the shadow groups involved. You never know who is what until the end and it was fantastic. We do see some old friends from Edge Of Sight. Nick, Vivi, and Nino are in here, helping Marc from the sidelines and sticking their noses into places they doesn’t belong. Agent Lang is an enigma (and a PITA) and I look forward to seeing more of him later.

The ending is a mad dash towards a climatic finale as all the pieces are slowing put together for us, Devyn, and Marc. I was shocked by some of the revelations that were revealed. Ms. St. Claire did a fabulous job of keeping me in the dark. We are given a small epilogue at the end which wraps up some questions dealing with Marc & Devyn. All in all a fabulous suspense rom that keep me twisting and guessing till the end. Though the romance was lacking, the mystery and suspense more then made up for that. I will definitely keep returning to Ms St Claire’s Guardian Angelinos series with her next in the series, Face Of Danger, which releases April 26, 2011.

Rating: B-

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