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Vengeance in Texas #4
A Profiler's Case for Seduction
"You need to trust me."
Dora Martin had escaped her past, been given a second chance. She wasn't going to waste it. A good education, a job she loved—all she had to do was stay on the straight and narrow. That meant no more disastrous relationships. No more men, period. Not even the oh-so-appealing Mark Flynn.
FBI Agent Mark Flynn is in Vengeance, Texas, to help solve three brutal murders. Dora Martin was a source of information, that's all. Instead, he couldn't stop thinking about her. But the gentle, gray-eyed beauty is hiding a secret that might solve the murders—or get her killed. He won't let that happen. For his case—and his heart—he will protect her….
Dora Martin had escaped her past, been given a second chance. She wasn't going to waste it. A good education, a job she loved—all she had to do was stay on the straight and narrow. That meant no more disastrous relationships. No more men, period. Not even the oh-so-appealing Mark Flynn.
FBI Agent Mark Flynn is in Vengeance, Texas, to help solve three brutal murders. Dora Martin was a source of information, that's all. Instead, he couldn't stop thinking about her. But the gentle, gray-eyed beauty is hiding a secret that might solve the murders—or get her killed. He won't let that happen. For his case—and his heart—he will protect her….
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 2013
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110 people want to read
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April 18, 2017
For the past three years her single goal had been to learn to find the happiness within, to not need anyone else to fulfill her. It had been an empowering lesson to realize she didn't need anyone but herself to navigate in the world. If she chose to allow somebody to walk with her, then it was a choice, not a need.
She would never need a man again.
I've read this whole 'series' of four books and still felt like I was missing a lot while reading this book, the conclusion to the quartet.
Dora is in her junior year at university. Plucked from a very bad situation, she has a strict anti-male policy.
Let me clarify: she doesn't hate men, but she is wary of getting romantically involved with one after her two terrible, nightmarish failed relationships.
When she meets FBI Agent Mark Flynn, her heart flutters, but she scolds herself "no touching." She can't fall back down the dark hole of her past.
If someone has a dark and secret past she doesn't want anyone to know about, it boggles my mind that she would choose to start keeping company with an FBI agent. But okay.
Mark is investigating the three murders that lay the basis for this loose Harlequin 'series' (each book penned by a different author). He suspects the beautiful and icy professor Melinda, but has no proof.
Dora is Melinda's sister, a fact Mark is unaware of.
Let's break this down.
ONE: AN OLDER AND 'DAMAGED' HEROINE. It's hard to escape 'damaged' heroines in romance novels. However, this book played things out a little differently. For one thing, Dora is NOT a rape survivor. She had a father who beat her, a husband who beat her, and a second husband who was verbally abusive. After that she became an alcoholic.
The book doesn't really dwell on her past or give us flashbacks of her bad experiences. I like that. Instead, after being plucked out of the gutter and put into rehab, Dora is determined to turn her life around. Part of that includes her strict no-dating policy. She thinks she always picks bad men and she's determined to be single for the rest of her life. She works hard at her job and in her classes and is focused and determined.
I like that she's a recovering alcoholic. I like that she has a horrible past but the book doesn't use flashbacks or unnecessarily dwell on it. I like the fact that our heroine is 40. I like reading about 20-somethings just fine, but it's refreshing and interesting to read about a 40-year-old woman finally finding love. :)
TWO: THE HERO The hero is "special." That's a term used in the book. He is a profiler for the FBI and has some unique traits. He zones out a lot. He has tons of nightmares. He's a shitty father to his 3-year-old daughter (he's divorced) because he's terrified he's going to "taint her with his darkness," which exasperates his put-upon ex-wife.
(I like that his ex-wife is portrayed as a sane, normal, good mother. Not unstable, not evil, not shallow. She's a good person.)
Instead of making this broody, intense, spaced-out guy seem like a super-sexy catch, the book portrays him more as an outcast. A weirdo and loner who doesn't quite fit in with his co-workers. And this isn't shown in a sexy "I'm a lone wolf" type-way. Instead you get the idea that while traditionally attractive and a good person, Mark is a bit odd.
THREE: SMELL I actually love when books incorporate stuff like smells and songs and sounds into their plot. I realize books are a very limited medium, but there's no reason to only describe an environment in a visual way.
While this book does not choose to incorporate any songs in it or use sound in a particularly unique way, I did notice that Cassidy is obsessed with scent and mentions it constantly.
I can tell you exactly what Mark smells like: shaving cream and mint soap. Cassidy mentions this a lot, and that's great. In my mind, Mark has a distinct smell.
And Dora smelling of wildflowers is mentioned DOZENS of times. I love it. This scent plays with Mark's mind and gives him a physical reaction every time he smells it, exactly what a signature scent is supposed to do. Perhaps she's wearing Les Exclusifs de Chanel Jersey or Somerset Meadow by Crabtree & Evelyn. Either way, she's definitely making an impression on both Mark and the reader.
These constant scent descriptions are a bonus and IMO add a lot to the novel.
The air smelled of popcorn, apples and madness.
What about
Mark slid closer to her, close enough that he could smell both her wildflower scent and her sorrow.
Her past is also encapsulated in scent.
Once again she could smell the faint scent of fresh soap and shaving cream that drifted off him. In the past she'd been accustomed to men who smelled of grease and sweat and cheap cologne.
And
For a moment she was mired in her past, and her head filled with the scent of cheap booze and sweaty males, of fried food and the sound of her mother's drunken laughter.
Sometimes the book's synesthesia is a bit much,
In the brief kiss they'd shared she'd tasted just like he thought she would, like warm sunshine on his lips.
Not sure what this means, but I'm going to pretend it means honey and honeysuckle. :D LOL
FOUR: HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Mainly boring. I'm sorry, I wish I could report better news here.
And it's a little rocky because Dora is technically 'dating' Mark but yet doesn't want a relationship. She goes out to coffee with him twice, then they have dinner at an Italian restaurant.
"Harmless flirting," she said, and wondered if she was reminding him or warning herself not to take him too seriously.
"That's the only kind there can be, right? I'm here to solve crimes and you're here to get a degree."
"And neither of us is interested in pursuing anything but a friendship," she added.
"Neither of us is looking for a long-term relationship," he countered, and something in the depths of his eyes made her think of the minty soap fragrance of him, of tangled sheets and soft, low moans. Temporary liaisons, that's what he made her think about, and she didn't want to go there.
"It would be foolish to start anything," she said, gazing down at the last of her cheesecake as her cheeks filled with warmth.
"I'm sure you're right," he agreed easily.
However, he kisses her goodnight, confusing her.
So, blah, blah, blah, they keep seeing each other. Dora confides in her FBI man that she's being stalked, and he steps up to take care of business, blah blah blah.
Then, they are having kissing one day after he escorts her home. He's been escorting her home everyday because of her stalker.
"I want you, Dora. I haven't said those words to a woman for a very long time."
She closed her eyes, as if finding his words almost painful to hear. "I want you, too." The words were a mere whisper. She looked at him once again. "But I can't do this, Mark. I don't want us to become lovers. It will just complicate things between us and make them messy." She took a step backward, as if needing to physically distance herself from him.
"I don't want to lose you as a friend," she continued, her gaze not meeting his. "I know, I'm being selfish. I want to talk to you. I want to spend time with you, but I'm afraid of making love with you. Somehow, someway, that kind of relationship has always screwed me up and I can't screw up now... I just can't."
Okay. They discuss this and he's so sweet and understanding about this. As he should be. I can completely understand her reluctance and also let me say that I am a huge fan of waiting to have sex and actually taking the time to get to know someone really well before going to bed with them. So far so good.
Then, about a week later, she almost literally drags him to bed.
"I'm good right here," he said, not releasing her from his embrace. "But, coffee is probably a better idea for us." He dropped his arms from around her and stepped back, his eyes midnight-blue. "I want to play by your rules, Dora, but when you let me hold you, it's hard to remember the rules."
"Maybe I've been reconsidering my rules," she said, her voice surprisingly breathy to her own ears.
She drags him to bed and they have rather boring sex (boring to read about, I mean, they both seemed like they were having a good time).
Then she cuts him off again.
"You aren't entertaining any day-after regrets, are you?"
She stepped closer to him, as if afraid that one of the passing students might hear their conversation. "Yes and no," she confessed. She released a sigh. "I didn't expect you, Mark. I'd made decisions about my life and one of those decisions was no men, no relationships. I just didn't expect you to sneak into my bed."
He gave her a crooked smile of amusement. "As I remember it, I didn't exactly sneak. I was willingly dragged up those stairs by you."
She nodded in acknowledgment. "I know. What I don't know is what to do with you now. We have no future, Mark. I don't want a future with you or any man."
Her gaze didn't quite meet his, making him wonder about the truth of her words. "What are you afraid of, Dora?" he asked softly.
"Nothing." She raised her gaze to meet his, a hard defensiveness in her eyes he'd never seen before. "I'm not afraid of anything. I just know what I want, what I'm willing to give somebody else, and I'd never be able to give what it takes to make a successful relationship. I know my limitations, Mark."
"But I don't think you're aware of your strengths," he replied.
Again she looked at him in surprise and then released a deep sigh. "I don't want to be hurt, Mark, and I don't want to hurt you."
Well, it's a little to late for that, isn't it!?!?!?
A beat of panic boomed in his chest. Was she somehow calling a halt to everything? Would he not have the opportunity to spend more time with her, to make her realize that somehow, someway, they could make a relationship work between them?
"Let's just enjoy our time together while you're here in town," she continued, making the boom of his heart quiet. "I'm offering you coffee and conversation - nothing more." Her cheeks bloomed with splendid color. "Last night was wonderful, Mark, but we can't have a repeat. It just wouldn't be right."
I don't get it.
"I'll play by your rules for the time I'm here," he said, although it was difficult to capitulate to her wishes in this area. "I just want to spend my downtime with you, to enjoy your presence, and we still have a bonfire date for next Friday night," he reminded her.
She smiled then, a full, warm smile that gave him renewed hope that eventually she'd understand that he was in this for the long run and that she could trust him with her heart, with her future.
I have no clue what the fuck is going on here, but Mark handles it gracefully and agrees to terminate the sexual part of their relationship and just see her platonically.
Of course, by the end they are , so obviously things blow over, and she changes her mind yet again... but I'd be lying if I said I didn't pity Mark. She's confusing. Not like he shouldn't be gentle and kind and understanding with her, but I do feel kind of sorry for the guy.
Tl;dr - Meh. I also can't shake the feeling that I was missing A LOT and that there were connected books (besides the ones grouped here on GR) that I missed because Cassidy wrote casually about a lot of backstory and other players as if I should be familiar with them (for instance: Micah and Samuel).
She would never need a man again.
I've read this whole 'series' of four books and still felt like I was missing a lot while reading this book, the conclusion to the quartet.
Dora is in her junior year at university. Plucked from a very bad situation, she has a strict anti-male policy.
Let me clarify: she doesn't hate men, but she is wary of getting romantically involved with one after her two terrible, nightmarish failed relationships.
When she meets FBI Agent Mark Flynn, her heart flutters, but she scolds herself "no touching." She can't fall back down the dark hole of her past.
If someone has a dark and secret past she doesn't want anyone to know about, it boggles my mind that she would choose to start keeping company with an FBI agent. But okay.
Mark is investigating the three murders that lay the basis for this loose Harlequin 'series' (each book penned by a different author). He suspects the beautiful and icy professor Melinda, but has no proof.
Dora is Melinda's sister, a fact Mark is unaware of.
Let's break this down.
ONE: AN OLDER AND 'DAMAGED' HEROINE. It's hard to escape 'damaged' heroines in romance novels. However, this book played things out a little differently. For one thing, Dora is NOT a rape survivor. She had a father who beat her, a husband who beat her, and a second husband who was verbally abusive. After that she became an alcoholic.
The book doesn't really dwell on her past or give us flashbacks of her bad experiences. I like that. Instead, after being plucked out of the gutter and put into rehab, Dora is determined to turn her life around. Part of that includes her strict no-dating policy. She thinks she always picks bad men and she's determined to be single for the rest of her life. She works hard at her job and in her classes and is focused and determined.
I like that she's a recovering alcoholic. I like that she has a horrible past but the book doesn't use flashbacks or unnecessarily dwell on it. I like the fact that our heroine is 40. I like reading about 20-somethings just fine, but it's refreshing and interesting to read about a 40-year-old woman finally finding love. :)
TWO: THE HERO The hero is "special." That's a term used in the book. He is a profiler for the FBI and has some unique traits. He zones out a lot. He has tons of nightmares. He's a shitty father to his 3-year-old daughter (he's divorced) because he's terrified he's going to "taint her with his darkness," which exasperates his put-upon ex-wife.
(I like that his ex-wife is portrayed as a sane, normal, good mother. Not unstable, not evil, not shallow. She's a good person.)
Instead of making this broody, intense, spaced-out guy seem like a super-sexy catch, the book portrays him more as an outcast. A weirdo and loner who doesn't quite fit in with his co-workers. And this isn't shown in a sexy "I'm a lone wolf" type-way. Instead you get the idea that while traditionally attractive and a good person, Mark is a bit odd.
THREE: SMELL I actually love when books incorporate stuff like smells and songs and sounds into their plot. I realize books are a very limited medium, but there's no reason to only describe an environment in a visual way.
While this book does not choose to incorporate any songs in it or use sound in a particularly unique way, I did notice that Cassidy is obsessed with scent and mentions it constantly.
I can tell you exactly what Mark smells like: shaving cream and mint soap. Cassidy mentions this a lot, and that's great. In my mind, Mark has a distinct smell.
And Dora smelling of wildflowers is mentioned DOZENS of times. I love it. This scent plays with Mark's mind and gives him a physical reaction every time he smells it, exactly what a signature scent is supposed to do. Perhaps she's wearing Les Exclusifs de Chanel Jersey or Somerset Meadow by Crabtree & Evelyn. Either way, she's definitely making an impression on both Mark and the reader.
These constant scent descriptions are a bonus and IMO add a lot to the novel.
The air smelled of popcorn, apples and madness.
What about
Mark slid closer to her, close enough that he could smell both her wildflower scent and her sorrow.
Her past is also encapsulated in scent.
Once again she could smell the faint scent of fresh soap and shaving cream that drifted off him. In the past she'd been accustomed to men who smelled of grease and sweat and cheap cologne.
And
For a moment she was mired in her past, and her head filled with the scent of cheap booze and sweaty males, of fried food and the sound of her mother's drunken laughter.
Sometimes the book's synesthesia is a bit much,
In the brief kiss they'd shared she'd tasted just like he thought she would, like warm sunshine on his lips.
Not sure what this means, but I'm going to pretend it means honey and honeysuckle. :D LOL
FOUR: HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Mainly boring. I'm sorry, I wish I could report better news here.
And it's a little rocky because Dora is technically 'dating' Mark but yet doesn't want a relationship. She goes out to coffee with him twice, then they have dinner at an Italian restaurant.
"Harmless flirting," she said, and wondered if she was reminding him or warning herself not to take him too seriously.
"That's the only kind there can be, right? I'm here to solve crimes and you're here to get a degree."
"And neither of us is interested in pursuing anything but a friendship," she added.
"Neither of us is looking for a long-term relationship," he countered, and something in the depths of his eyes made her think of the minty soap fragrance of him, of tangled sheets and soft, low moans. Temporary liaisons, that's what he made her think about, and she didn't want to go there.
"It would be foolish to start anything," she said, gazing down at the last of her cheesecake as her cheeks filled with warmth.
"I'm sure you're right," he agreed easily.
However, he kisses her goodnight, confusing her.
So, blah, blah, blah, they keep seeing each other. Dora confides in her FBI man that she's being stalked, and he steps up to take care of business, blah blah blah.
Then, they are having kissing one day after he escorts her home. He's been escorting her home everyday because of her stalker.
"I want you, Dora. I haven't said those words to a woman for a very long time."
She closed her eyes, as if finding his words almost painful to hear. "I want you, too." The words were a mere whisper. She looked at him once again. "But I can't do this, Mark. I don't want us to become lovers. It will just complicate things between us and make them messy." She took a step backward, as if needing to physically distance herself from him.
"I don't want to lose you as a friend," she continued, her gaze not meeting his. "I know, I'm being selfish. I want to talk to you. I want to spend time with you, but I'm afraid of making love with you. Somehow, someway, that kind of relationship has always screwed me up and I can't screw up now... I just can't."
Okay. They discuss this and he's so sweet and understanding about this. As he should be. I can completely understand her reluctance and also let me say that I am a huge fan of waiting to have sex and actually taking the time to get to know someone really well before going to bed with them. So far so good.
Then, about a week later, she almost literally drags him to bed.
"I'm good right here," he said, not releasing her from his embrace. "But, coffee is probably a better idea for us." He dropped his arms from around her and stepped back, his eyes midnight-blue. "I want to play by your rules, Dora, but when you let me hold you, it's hard to remember the rules."
"Maybe I've been reconsidering my rules," she said, her voice surprisingly breathy to her own ears.
She drags him to bed and they have rather boring sex (boring to read about, I mean, they both seemed like they were having a good time).
Then she cuts him off again.
"You aren't entertaining any day-after regrets, are you?"
She stepped closer to him, as if afraid that one of the passing students might hear their conversation. "Yes and no," she confessed. She released a sigh. "I didn't expect you, Mark. I'd made decisions about my life and one of those decisions was no men, no relationships. I just didn't expect you to sneak into my bed."
He gave her a crooked smile of amusement. "As I remember it, I didn't exactly sneak. I was willingly dragged up those stairs by you."
She nodded in acknowledgment. "I know. What I don't know is what to do with you now. We have no future, Mark. I don't want a future with you or any man."
Her gaze didn't quite meet his, making him wonder about the truth of her words. "What are you afraid of, Dora?" he asked softly.
"Nothing." She raised her gaze to meet his, a hard defensiveness in her eyes he'd never seen before. "I'm not afraid of anything. I just know what I want, what I'm willing to give somebody else, and I'd never be able to give what it takes to make a successful relationship. I know my limitations, Mark."
"But I don't think you're aware of your strengths," he replied.
Again she looked at him in surprise and then released a deep sigh. "I don't want to be hurt, Mark, and I don't want to hurt you."
Well, it's a little to late for that, isn't it!?!?!?
A beat of panic boomed in his chest. Was she somehow calling a halt to everything? Would he not have the opportunity to spend more time with her, to make her realize that somehow, someway, they could make a relationship work between them?
"Let's just enjoy our time together while you're here in town," she continued, making the boom of his heart quiet. "I'm offering you coffee and conversation - nothing more." Her cheeks bloomed with splendid color. "Last night was wonderful, Mark, but we can't have a repeat. It just wouldn't be right."
I don't get it.
"I'll play by your rules for the time I'm here," he said, although it was difficult to capitulate to her wishes in this area. "I just want to spend my downtime with you, to enjoy your presence, and we still have a bonfire date for next Friday night," he reminded her.
She smiled then, a full, warm smile that gave him renewed hope that eventually she'd understand that he was in this for the long run and that she could trust him with her heart, with her future.
I have no clue what the fuck is going on here, but Mark handles it gracefully and agrees to terminate the sexual part of their relationship and just see her platonically.
Of course, by the end they are , so obviously things blow over, and she changes her mind yet again... but I'd be lying if I said I didn't pity Mark. She's confusing. Not like he shouldn't be gentle and kind and understanding with her, but I do feel kind of sorry for the guy.
Tl;dr - Meh. I also can't shake the feeling that I was missing A LOT and that there were connected books (besides the ones grouped here on GR) that I missed because Cassidy wrote casually about a lot of backstory and other players as if I should be familiar with them (for instance: Micah and Samuel).
April 7, 2013
Fantastic conclusion to the series. I really liked both Dora and Mark. Dora is an older heroine who has finally started to overcome some poor choices made in her youth. Her older brother and sister pulled her out of her downward spiral and gave her the opportunity to start a new life. In spite of that rescue, and living in the same town, she hasn't gotten close to her sister Melinda. She hasn't pushed for a relationship because she doesn't want her bad past to taint her sister's stellar reputation at the college and in town. Dora made the decision when she went back to school that she was going to concentrate on school and not get involved with any men. When she met Mark there was an immediate attraction between the two, but she insisted that there would be friendship only. I really liked the way that she had worked so hard to overcome her past. I thought that she had an incredible amount of inner strength to be able to have come so far without any bitterness. I really enjoyed her developing relationship with Mark. Even though she kept telling herself not to get involved her connection to him was just too strong. One of the things I loved about her was how well she understood him. She also didn't want her past to affect him and tried to keep it a secret from him. When all her secrets came out she was sure it would be the end of everything.
Mark was a really interesting man. As a young man his intelligence and abilities earned him an invitation from the FBI to work for them as a profiler. He has an uncanny way of being able to get inside a criminal's mind to be able to figure out who they are and what motivates them. But because of this he feels a constant darkness in his soul that makes him keep people at an emotional distance. He first got to know Dora because he thought she would be a good source of information. He didn't expect thoughts of her to be constantly with him, even when working on the case. He soon found himself wanting to spend time with her that had nothing to do with his work and everything to do with the way she made him feel. She was the first person who seemed to understand the way his mind worked and to be able to pull him away from the darkness. For all of the growing feelings he had for her he sensed that she had secrets that she wouldn't share with him. When those secrets came out he felt betrayed at first then he became really worried that those secrets could cost her her life.
I really loved seeing the way that Mark's mind worked and how it saw things so clearly. In spite of the fact that no one else believed his theory, he kept after it. The suspense as the story built to the conclusion kept me turning the pages just as fast as I could read. While there was no doubt that the story would end well, the journey was definitely a heart pounding one. There was one fascinating thing about this book in that Dora's older brother Micah starred in his own book (Mercenary's Perfect Mission) that was just as intense as this one.
Mark was a really interesting man. As a young man his intelligence and abilities earned him an invitation from the FBI to work for them as a profiler. He has an uncanny way of being able to get inside a criminal's mind to be able to figure out who they are and what motivates them. But because of this he feels a constant darkness in his soul that makes him keep people at an emotional distance. He first got to know Dora because he thought she would be a good source of information. He didn't expect thoughts of her to be constantly with him, even when working on the case. He soon found himself wanting to spend time with her that had nothing to do with his work and everything to do with the way she made him feel. She was the first person who seemed to understand the way his mind worked and to be able to pull him away from the darkness. For all of the growing feelings he had for her he sensed that she had secrets that she wouldn't share with him. When those secrets came out he felt betrayed at first then he became really worried that those secrets could cost her her life.
I really loved seeing the way that Mark's mind worked and how it saw things so clearly. In spite of the fact that no one else believed his theory, he kept after it. The suspense as the story built to the conclusion kept me turning the pages just as fast as I could read. While there was no doubt that the story would end well, the journey was definitely a heart pounding one. There was one fascinating thing about this book in that Dora's older brother Micah starred in his own book (Mercenary's Perfect Mission) that was just as intense as this one.
June 11, 2019
Great conclusion to the series - highly recommend & encourage you to read the short read that was written to go along as well. Comes in one of Harlequin samplers.
November 19, 2018
Interesting characters and question of why people become who they become make this an interesting read. Not only is the reader rooting for the main characters but there is a desire to find out more about the other characters in the book. The ones we have come to like and the ones we hate.
August 8, 2019
This book was the best of the series and tied up things nicely. It also connected to the Perfect, Wyoming series with characters connected to the cult leader.
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December 29, 2014Miniseries: Vengeance in Texas
Category: Suspense
Category: Suspense
April 21, 2013
Was very good!
May 15, 2013
Pretty good story. You knew who the killer was but not how they pulled it off. Once again, it's part of a series and I didn't read the first.
January 15, 2015
one of the best books I've read. I could not put it down till the end. a plot well written and executed that makes you thirst for more. Loved it!
June 18, 2019
Action Thriller and Roooomanticcccccccccccc
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews