Review: Enemy Lover by Karin Harlow

Title: Enemy Lover

Author: Karin Harlow

Release Date: May 25, 2010

Publisher: Pocket Star

Category: Paranormal/Romance/Suspense

Type: Kindle/Paperback

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Book Blurb:

It’s Jax Cassidy’s first mission for L.O.S.T.—one that will give the former cop who went rogue a chance to prove herself. Her assignment: gain the trust of assassin Marcus Cross . . . eliminate him . . . then take down Marcus’s mentor, Joseph Lazarus, a man with a bold eye on the White House. But the woman who’s known by her team for being a femme fatale succumbs to passion, only to discover Cross’s deadly secret. He’s a vampire, and Joseph Lazarus is his creator.

Left for dead by his platoon in the violent hills of Afghanistan, special ops sniper Marcus Cross was given a second chance at life. His newly heightened skills make him the perfect killing machine, and as Lazarus's right hand man, he’s quickly rising to the top of his dark empire, purging enemies with speed and precision. Only when dangerous beauty Jax Cassidy is sent to bring him in does he begin to question Lazarus’s motives and his own actions. But when Jax’s life is threatened by the one thing that can destroy them both, Marcus must make a bitter choice—her death or his.

(Okay with a name like Lazarus and a description of “second chance at life”, what do y’all think Marcus is? You don’t have to reach far, I promise.)

Book Excerpt:

“Come at me again, I’m going to hurt you,” he growled low.

Collecting herself and her thoughts, Jax considered her current tactics. They weren’t working. She was strong. He was stronger. She eyed him covertly from beneath her long dark lashes. Power radiated off him in waves. He reminded her of a big, sleek, predatory panther. From his stylishly cut, jet-black hair, his arresting, predatory face, and full mocking lips, to his impeccable black suit and the way it hung effortlessly from his big muscular body, down to his custom black leather Italian shoes, she didn’t miss a thing. Most especially the harsh glint of his unusual blue eyes.

She nodded, mentally shifting gears, then pushed off the wall.

In total op mode, Jax slowly stalked her nemesis. She smiled slightly. His eyes burned with anger, but he couldn’t hide the heat flickering behind them. She shook her head and was rewarded with his gaze raking her from her naturally thick, mahogany-colored hair, to her fitted black turtleneck to her short black leather skirt down to the tips of her black, thigh-high stiletto jackboots that clicked on the hardwood floor.

She stopped two steps from him, planted her feet wide, and set her hands on her hips. “What if I like it to hurt?”

Favorite Dialogue:

“Tell me, damn it!” he hissed against her ear. “Or I’ll force it from you!”

She shook her head.

“I’ll make you wish you were never born.”

“Do your worst then.”

Marcus counted slowly to ten. As he did, his passion waged war with his control. If she didn’t relent, he’d be forced to show her the true animal he was. Roughly, he picked her up and tossed her onto the bed. She landed spread-eagled on the comforter. Stunned, she stared at him.

He crawled over her and threatened her. “I’m not going to give you a second chance!”

“I don’t want one!” she screamed.

He laughed harshly and shook his head. “Ten, my lovely, I won’t give you one.”

He dug his fingers into her tick hair and brought her lips up to his. “Kiss me,” he commanded. Her short, warm breaths pulsated against his lips. He could smell her fury mingled with her desire. He was on the verge of losing what little control he still possessed.

She stunned him when she grasped his head to her, and in a mad rush, lips against lips, teeth against teeth, and tongue against tongue, she kissed him.

Review:

I just e-mailed an acquaintance that had asked me to let her know what I thought about Enemy Lover because it was my first Karin Harlow book. Ironically, the e-mail served well in helping me collect my thoughts about the book. *whispers* Acquaintance, you know who you are so if some of the comments in this review seem familiar, take care – you inadvertently aided me in creating this review. J

I really loved this book. I can honestly say that I looked forward to turning every single page, actually upset with myself at times for not reading faster. Once in a while my eyes would jump ahead a catch glimpses of what was coming up. Bad, I know, but I enjoyed it that much. There was something taking place on very nearly every page. Yes, yes, that is what generally happens in books. I am aware. But what I mean is that Harlow did not linger over any scene overmuch. She kept the story forward moving at all times with a fast-paced read that the reader has no choice but to jump into head first.

What I really appreciated was the balance within the book. As much as I hate to admit this, sometimes reading a lot of erotica-type books kind of wears a person down. I do not always want to read about attraction, passion flared, and the inevitable sexual conquest wrapped up in a pretty little love story. *GASP* Did I just say that? Yes, the steamy sex is nice, but the story does not have to revolve around the sex to be good and suck the reader in. Trust me, I’m on the lookout for the lightning that is about to strike me down!

Anyway, Harlow builds a world with various other worlds that is very easy to believe in. Government funded secret op forces that take out national threats. Yeah, I can get on board with that. There is the world as we know it and then there is Marcus’s world and Jax’s world. Each has its own rules and regulations and each perceives the other as a threat. Not to mention each is acting for the greater good. But which side is the good side is the question that has to be answered. And of course, through it all, the world as we know it hasn’t the slightest inkling that any of these organizations exist.

Also liked was the fact that I could identify with Jax. Not from the perspective of having ever suffered a crime so heinous, but understanding her reactions, motivations, and drive to continue on after the nightmare she experienced. When the heroine is tough and strong, she has to embrace characteristics much like Jax to be believable. I think that a lot of us in our daily lives operate similarly to Jax. Definitely not on her level, but in the following way: She may not have been perfect, but she did the best she could with what she had with the best intentions - a feat I think many of us try to emulate within various aspects of our lives. Bottom line, I thoroughly enjoyed Enemy Lover and my time spent with the L.O.S.T. I can’t wait to continue the journey with Enemy Mine, Karin’s latest L.O.S.T. installment. You can also find Karin writing as Karin Tabke.

(paperback won in contest online courtesy Pocket After Dark)