Customer Reviews

Pawn: An Athena Force Adventure (Silhouette Bombshell)

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Lynn White and Nick Barnes return from their previous story, DECEIVED, in this latest adventure....

Lynn thought she'd seen the last of the FBI and Agent Nick Barnes when she walked away from Nick after assisting with the capture of her adoptive father, Jonas White. The FBI hasn't forgotten Lynn, however, as they now are blackmailing her into breaking into a Miami wharf to search for a bomb. Her only contact is Nick, but Nick has his own undercover case. Will Nick's secrets destroy Lynn?

The Athena Force books are a favorite series of this reviewer. The high powered action coupled with spectacular suspense make this one of the best lines out there. I have to admit I was a bit surprised to find myself less than enthusiastic about this particular book. Carla Cassidy is a phenomenal author and her stories are generally very entertaining. With PAWN, however, I found myself putting the book aside and doing other things rather than continuing to read. Perhaps this is because the two main characters, Nick and Lynn, didn't strike that spark with me in DECEIVED either.

However, both Lynn and Nick's are well developed characters and Lynn's trust issues are certainly in the forefront in PAWN. Lynn is very emotionally distant from others and doesn't have a lot of ties although she has some neighbors who try to change this. The inclusion of Lynn's neighbor, Tiny, was a bit confusing to me as I kept expecting more from him. Tiny's character was very enigmatic and hopefully he will one day have his own story. Fans looking for a book with lots of action will most likely enjoy this story but don't expect much more than slight teasers in the ongoing Athena Force storyline.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Athena Academy alumni Lynette White relocates to start over in Phoenix as a web page designer. However, the former thief is accosted by the Feds with an ultimatum. She either uses her genetically enhanced skills to locate a bomb placed inside a shipping container or face jail as they have proof of her criminal work for her "Uncle" Jonas. She knows what they want is like finding a needle in a haystack as there are so many containers, but she has a better chance of success than most people. Her only counter-demand is that FBI Agent Nick Barnes, her former lover, help her on the investigation.

As Nick and Lynette work together to stop the terrorist plot before countless number of innocents are killed, their feelings for one another remain heated. When the danger mounts with both threatened with death, Nick and Lynette realize what they knew deep in their heart that they love one another. However is love enough for a thief and a Fed to form a lasting relationship if they survive the mission?

This is an interesting romantic suspense in which the heroine is a sacrificial PAWN in the global war on terrorism until the Fed reassesses his values and knows he will forfeit his life if need be to keep her safe. The story line showcases a weakness in American antiterrorism security efforts with cargo shipments, but that key underlying base to the thriller is tied up relatively too easily. Still readers will enjoy Carla Cassidy's fast-paced thriller of the Feds blackmailing a pawn (as the administration insists anything is legal and ethical if it keeps America safe against terrorism) to assist them on a dangerous mission.

Harriet Klausner