Explosive Vengeance

4.25 stars-engaging and suspenseful

4.25 stars--EXPLOSIVE VENGEANCE is the second instalment in Kaylea Cross’ contemporary, adult VENGEANCE romantic suspense series focusing on a group of women once known as the Valkyrie-members of a secret CIA government project. This is explosive specialist and Valkyrie Chloe Wilson, and former para-jumper Heath Barrett’s story line. EXPLOSIVE VENGEANCE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for backstory and cohesion as there is an ongoing arc throughout. The VENGEANCE series is a spin-off from the author’s HOSTAGE RESCUE TEAM series. You do not have to have read the original series to follow or understand but it is recommended to read DISAVOWED (Hostage Rescue Team #4).

SOME BACKGROUND: Years earlier, an unsanctioned, secret CIA run project ‘stole’, brainwashed and trained a number of orphan girls in an effort to design the perfect killing machine known as the Valkyrie. The project was disbanded but the Valkyrie have since found themselves targeted by someone high in the organization, someone who is willing to kill to protect the secrets they know. Deadly operatives trained to work alone, each a specialist in a different field, the Valkyrie struggle when they find themselves losing their heart and falling in love.
Told from several third person perspectives including Chloe and Heath EXPLOSIVE VENGEANCE follows the building relationship between explosive specialist and Valkyrie Chloe Wilson, and former para-jumper Heath Barrett. Chloe Wilson is determined to stop a human trafficking ring centered in Paris, France by first taking down Dominic Dubois, the current man in charge, but her love of pyro-technics has caught the eye of the women once known as the Valkyrie, women who are desperate to protect the sisters of their heart. After leaving a trail of death and destruction in her wake, Chloe journeys cross country in an effort to track down Dominic’s brother Guillaume, a man whose own crimes against humanity rivals his now dead brother’s. Hoping to protect one of their own, Tyler Bergstrom and his Valkyrie girlfriend Megan, call in reinforcements to cover our story line heroine. Enter former para-jumper Heath Barrett, and the man with whom Chloe will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Chloe and Heath; the potential fall-out as Chloe goes rogue in an effort to take down Guillaume Dubois, and Heath’s time in Europe comes to a close.

Chloe Wilson is on a mission to take down the men currently operating a human trafficking ring but first Chloe must rescue the women who are about to be sold to the highest bidder. Killing Dominic Dubois was easy but taking down his brother Guillaume finds Chloe working with her former Valkyrie sisters, woman Chloe hasn’t seen in a number of years. Heath Barrett had no idea the mess he was about to encounter when his best friend Tyler Bergstrom asked for a favor. Meeting Chloe Wilson stirred something deep and protective in our story line hero, something Heath refused to look at knowing he was about to be deployed on another mission.

The relationship between Chloe and Heath is one of immediate attraction but Chloe doesn’t want a babysitter or protection, and Heath struggles with a lack of information regarding his current assignment. Ever the protector, Heath battles between head and heart when it comes to the woman with whom he will fall in love. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are reintroduced to Megan Smith and Tyler Bergstrom (Stealing Vengeance #1), Amber Brown and Jesse Cordova (Covert Vengeance #2), former SAS veteran Marcus Laidlaw, retired SF and NSA agent Alex Rycroft; former Valkyrie Trinity Durant, and Kyiomi; sex traffickers Dominic and Guillaume Dubois.

EXPLOSIVE VENGEANCE is a story of family, friendship, vengeance and love; a story of women who have been trained in the art of assassination, women who have little to no memory of a time before, who have lived an unconventional and destructive life. The premise is engaging and suspenseful; the characters are strong, intelligent and colorful; the romance is seductive and hot. EXPLOSIVE VENGEANCE is an intriguing and enthralling addition to the author’s VENGEANCE series.