** spoiler alert ** All I can say is wow.

This is the second novel by Brenda Novak that I've read, and the book in this series that I most wanted to read. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time spent reading it, just waiting to see what would happen next. I also love that every piece fit together perfectly and that seemingly inconsequential events did have their purpose and brought an 'aha!' moment further down the track.

I haven't read the novel previous to this, but I was able to piece together the most important events that happened in Inside, and their bearing on In Seconds. I had all the information I most needed and I like that the author revealed bits of the past without going into boring detail, or giving so little backstory that you felt completely lost.

I had many questions only a few pages in, and they were all answered, plus anymore that cropped up over the course of the novel. By the end, I didn't feel as if I'd missed anything, or that there was anything unresolved. There's nothing more annoying than a book that has unresolved subplots or questions that were never answered, probably because the author forgot.

While the plot was gripping and full of suspense and thrills, the characters brought a wonderful depth to the story and wrapped and tied the whole lot into a niece neat package. There's characters you love to love, characters you love to hate, and they're all real.

I felt the chemistry between the hero and heroine from word go. There was so much sexual tension flying around that I'm surprised it took as long as it did for anything to happen.

Myles was a great hero. I'll admit he was older than I originally thought, but that's neither here nor there. I loved his resistance to Laurel/Vivian's original proposition, and I felt as if at least one of them had some sense. It would be impossible to not find his constant need to protect Laurel endearing and I truly loved that he was forever trying to get her to open up to him, and trust him.

Laurel was an inspiring heroine. There's no other word for it. Not only did she endure a horribly abusive marriage, but after her brother was exonerated and released from prison she was drawn into the situation that arose and has assumed new identities twice. Now she's finally found a place where she wants to stay, and she's refusing the let the people who are determined to find and kill her cow her into running again. I loved that she'd continued on after everything that had happened to her, and while she was forever conscious about what she said to whom, you could understand and sympathize with her reluctance to get too close to anybody should she have to leave the life she was finally starting to build for herself.

I also loved that she wasn't like some of these heroines who have psychos after them, and insist on marching into battle and leaving themselves, as well as anyone they care about, unprotected. She took a stand, but she didn't recklessly throw herself into danger, and one of the first things she did when she found out that the people after her had found her, was to get her kids to safety.

Virgil was a brilliant supporting character. I loved that he was committed to seeing to his family's future safety even if he ended up dead. I had a love/hate relationship with Rex. I hated that he posed a minor problem for the development of Myles and Laurel's relationship, but loved that he was trying to get himself together, and was there for both Laurel and Virgil when they needed it most.

I have to say, that I'm glad Ellen ended up dead. She deserved it completely as far as I'm concerned, although I wish that for once she'd kept her mouth shut and thought of someone else instead of herself.

I had mixed feelings about L.J. I would have liked to have seen if he could truly turn his life around like he eventually wanted to, but as he was gunned down we'll never know. But, at least he made a start by at least attempting to step in when he saw Ink terrorizing the Rogers women.

Ink was probably one of the most sick individuals I've come across. He was completely deranged, but his character was entirely believable because there are people exactly like that out there. I would have preferred to see him dead instead of just returned to prison, but I'm glad he was apprehended.

This was in no way a predictable novel. It kept surprising me, especially with how brainless Chrissy Gunther was. A complete random shows asking about a woman who's lived in the town for two years and never once mentioned said random, and she draws him a map to her house? No wonder everyone else in the town of Pineview had so much common sense, Chrissy Gunther sucked all the stupid out of everyone else and into herself.

In the end, the only thing I would have changed was Laurel keeping the name of Vivian instead of reverting back to Laurel. Considering all the terrible things that happened to Laurel, I thought keeping the name of Vivian would have been more symbolic of the fresh start the character was going for. And hey, as Vivian at least her nutjob of an ex-husband wouldn't be able to find her if he took a mind to, would he?

This was a dangerous, gripping and exciting novel. It definitely focuses more on the suspense than romance; there were two love scenes and they weren't particularly graphic at all. I found that worked perfectly with the tone of the story. The basic groundwork of the relationship between the hero and heroine was already there; they both just needed to stop resisting and let love happen.

I will definitely read more by Brenda Novak. She's a master of romantic suspense and her novels deliver everything they promise and more and don't leave the reading wanting for anything except more of the amazing characters she creates.

I would recommend In Seconds to any romantic suspense fan. If it's a fast paced suspense you want, then this is definitely the novel for you.