April's Affections and Intrigues: Love and Mystery Bloom

Negotiating Point, June 2012 Private Protectors by Adrienne Giordano Carina Press Featuring: Gavin Sheppard; Janet Fink ISBN: 142689385X EAN: 9781426893858 Kindle: B007M8S2OO e-Book Add to Wish List Purchase Kindle Barnes & Noble

"Hits the ground running on the first page and keeps the action going until the end."

Negotiating Point
Adrienne Giordano

Reviewed by Maria Munoz
Posted July 5, 2012

Romance Suspense

Taylor Security is facing its toughest and most important assignment ever. Roxann, Mike Taylor's pregnant wife, is being held hostage by Freedom Today. The group believes their leader was wrongly incarcerated. They want him released and the "true" story printed in Roxann's paper. To insure Roxann's safety the team needs to get her back without notifying the police or FBI.

Janet Fink, Taylor's pint-sized tech geek, quickly figures out where they are keeping Roxann. Gavin Sheppard, the teams hostage negotiator, is determined to get everyone out safely without tactical involvement (even if the tactical team is eager to go in and get Roxann out). Janet and Gavin man the command post as Gavin makes regular attempts to talk the hostage takers down. As they work closely together, the attraction that has always simmered between them comes to a boil. They may just find themselves renegotiating their rules about mixing business with pleasure.

NEGOTIATING POINT hits the ground running on the first page and keeps the action going until the end. Because the threat is to someone everyone at the agency loves tensions are high and the risk is great. Yet, the novella felt a bit lighter than some of the earlier books in the Private Protectors series, possibly because Gavin is a man of words first and fists second and Janet is just a tiny bit perky (but not in a bad way!). As always, Ms. Giordano has created two strong, independent, passionate people who strike sparks off each other. NEGOTIATING POINT can be read as a stand-alone story but you will enjoy it more if you've read the other books in the series and recognize the returning characters.

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SUMMARY

As a hostage negotiator for Taylor Security, Gavin Sheppard has just been given the toughest assignment of his career: securing the release of his boss's pregnant wife. He's uneasy negotiating a rescue without the involvement of the police, but with the life of a woman and her unborn child on the line there's no time to play by the rules. He'll have to work closely with the one woman who could prove to be a distraction...

Janet Fink, the agency's tech geek, is conflicted about working alongside the man she's irresistibly attracted to. Though she's determined not to risk her career by getting involved with a coworker, especially a superior, she can't forget the passionate kiss they once shared...

With the kidnappers' deadline fast approaching, Gavin and Janet must combine their skills to bring the missing woman home alive. But their undeniable chemistry is making it difficult to keep their relationship purely professional...

Excerpt

At 10:20 a.m. Gavin stepped into Mike Taylor's office and found his boss sitting at his pristine, glass–topped desk, his sleeves rolled to his elbows and his dark hair sticking up in the back.

He checked his watch. Yep. 10:20.

I'm screwed.

The man's appearance was typically as neat as his office. His hair sticking up? This early? In Mike's OCD world? Unacceptable.

Whatever Gavin had been summoned for had to be a disaster. Stabbing pin pricks crawled up his neck. He shifted his gaze left. Vic Andrews, Taylor Security's executive vice president, leaned against the window sill with his arms crossed, eyes narrowed and a general I'm–pissed–off–at–the–world aura.

Screwed.

Gavin stepped forward. "What's up?"

Mike held his hands prayerlike in front of him, his fingers mashed together until his veins popped.

Screwed in a big way.

Vic boosted off the window sill. "Roxann has been kidnapped."

Bam! Forget the warm–up. Gavin threw his shoulders back and those pin pricks turned to dagger stabs. Had he heard right? He shifted to Mike. "Your Roxann?"

Mike nodded.

"Have they made contact? Ransom?"

"Not yet. I got a call a few minutes ago. They said no cops and to expect communication in the next hour."

"Where'd they grab her?"

Mike looked down, shook his head and scrubbed his hands over his face. "I don't know. We left together this morning. She was heading to the lake house to get ready for the Fourth of July party on Saturday. I've got Gizmo getting me a trace on her car."

That wouldn't do them any good. Even the most inexperienced kidnapper would know a high–end Mercedes would have factory–installed tracking. Couple that with the car being owned by the man who ran not only Chicago's, but one of the nation's most elite private security companies and it was a no–brainer they'd be able to locate the car. The kidnappers probably abandoned it somewhere. Mike knew that and Gavin wouldn't voice it.

"Are you considering calling the FBI?"

Vic moved to the side of the desk. "No feds."

Gavin ignored him. "Mike?"

"No FBI."

Lost that round.

"The FBI," Mike continued, "has to play by the rules. We don't. I want my wife back without having to deal with red tape."

"Damn straight," Vic added. "We got everything we need. We find her and we go in and get her. End of story."

Gavin finally looked at him. "End of story? What's wrong with you? You and your merry men charging in there with your flash bangs and weapons will escalate the situation."

"Screw that," Vic said. "These assholes won't know what hit them. Once we find her, we'll be in there so fast they won't have time to draw on us. Besides, what the hell do we need the FBI for when we have you?"

Gavin breathed deep. A sound argument considering, prior to six months ago, he'd spent the last twelve years as an FBI hostage negotiator. "Has it occurred to you that we are not in some war–torn country? You're talking about doing a takedown on U.S. soil. In case you weren't aware, if someone gets shot, there are laws against that sort of thing."

Mike put both hands up. "Enough." He dragged his gaze from Vic to Gavin. "Look, Gavin, all due respect, I'm not calling the feds."

"Thank you," Vic said.

"But we're not going tactical either. Yet. Gavin will negotiate her release."

There it was. The assignment of his career.

"Mike," Vic said. "Why waste time trying to head–shrink our way out of this?"

Jab number one. Gavin folded his arms, let the anger inside flash and burn before reacting. Considering Vic was married to Mike's sister and his own emotions were likely in play, he'd give him a pass on the head–shrinker comment. "We're not head–shrinking. We don't know who these people are or what they want. Let's figure that out and then make a plan."

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