While I’m relatively new to Sandra Brown’s writing, she has fast become one of my all-time favorite romantic suspense/mystery writers! I’ve quickly gobbled up several of her stories after reading and LOVING Mean Streak last year, and I’ve discovered she’s is a pro at reeling you into a story and keeping you hooked until the very last page. Friction was no exception; the story was exciting, hot, and captivating!
Crawford Hunt is battling his in-laws for custody of his five-year old daughter, Georgia. As a Texas Ranger he’s been in dangerous situations that have required rapid-fire judgment, and Crawford is able to rush in a take charge. Now his father-in-law, Joe, is using this quality to call into question his ability to care for his daughter, accusing him of being too reckless to raise a child. During the custody hearing a masked man barges in and shoots the place up, leaving Judge Holly Spencer shaken to the core. Crawford’s quick action limits the lethal damage, but still she barely escaped with her life. The investigation thrusts Holly and Crawford into an uneasy partnership, and side by side they work on finding the culprit before he strikes again.
Any relationship or dealings between Holly and Crawford are pretty bad idea seeing as Holly is presiding over his custody case, but the intense circumstances overrule logical thinking, and their magnetic attraction takes over every time they’re together. I loved every stolen lusty kiss, every desperate, hot encounter they shared, all the while trying to keep one step ahead of the killer!
He slid his fingers up into her hair until his hands were closed around her head, then he tilted it and brushed his mouth across hers. “A word of caution, judge. Don’t show up at my back door looking like you do unless you want to get manhandled.”
I wouldn’t mind a little manhandling, Crawford!
Not only was Crawford one hot-sexy-take-charge-kind-of-guy, he could melt your heart of the love and devotion he had for his daughter, Georgia! It’s a joy to have a strong female MC and Holly was exactly that: intelligent, accomplished, and compassionate. She had no problem standing up for herself and Crawford when needed, and I enjoyed her quick, smart thinking.
With all that going on, there wasn’t much time to fret over relationship angst or wonder whether the couple will be able to overcome the obstacles keeping them apart. Holly and Crawford had more than a few, but I was never worried that it wouldn’t all fall into place. This is a romance with Sandra Brown at the helm, after all, and she hasn’t steered my wrong so far!
Friction was a thrilling, fast paced read, and as a reader I was trying to solve the mystery right along with the characters, nervous with tension over what would happen next. I enjoyed every surprise and twist!
A copy was kindly provided by Grand Central for an honest review.