Colton's Ultimate Test (Coltons of Colorado, Bk 12) (Harlequin Romantic Suspense, No 2211)
Author:
Genre: Romance
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Author:
Genre: Romance
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Fantastic conclusion to the series. Morgan and her twin brother, Caleb, are lawyers who also started the Truth Foundation, a group dedicated to righting the wrongs caused by their corrupt father. Unfortunately, Ron Spence, one of the "innocent" victims, turned out to be not so innocent after all, and the Coltons have spent almost a year trying to get him back into custody.
When Spence steals a large amount of money (To Trust a Colton Cowboy), Morgan knows he'll have to find a way to get it out of the country, most likely by laundering it through some unscrupulous business. With a short time to figure it out, Morgan knows of one man who might be able to help - Roman DiMera. The problem is that she and Roman have a history she's tried unsuccessfully to forget.
Roman owns a bar where, almost a year earlier, Morgan and her friends celebrated a birthday a little too well. While the super-responsible Morgan ensured her friends had safe ways home, her rideshare was unavailable. Roman, unable to take his eyes off her all evening, offered to drive her home. The sparks between them were undeniable, and they shared a very passionate kiss before the alcohol won the fight. Both remember that night - Roman with pleasure and Morgan with embarrassment.
Morgan goes to Roman for help because she knows he spent time in prison for insider trading and hopes he can give her ideas on where to look for money laundering information. This is an intensely awkward scene, as Morgan's discomfort over their last encounter, his prison record, and her issues with something from her past cause her to be surprisingly inarticulate. I ached for Roman as he felt judged and disrespected.
I liked Roman a lot. He doesn't try to hide or minimize his past. He's upfront about what he did, knew he was doing wrong, and deserved his punishment. He also admits that his time in prison had a beneficial effect on him. I liked that he also employs other ex-cons, giving them a chance that few other employers do. An incident with one of those employees ultimately showed what a good man he is.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Morgan and Roman. Morgan is so buttoned-up and uptight at the beginning, with her work-focused intensity, that she is flummoxed by her attraction to Roman. She gets so flustered by his request for her to have dinner with him in exchange for his help that I couldn't help laughing, especially when he follows it up with another scorching kiss. I was a little disappointed in her initially because she couldn't get past his prison record. I liked that he called her out on it; she was smart enough to realize how unfairly she treated him. Once they got past the initial awkwardness, it was lovely to see how much they had in common.
I loved seeing them grow closer as they collaborated to get the information to bring down Spence. Roman is very protective of her, which gets on Morgan's nerves. She is independent, stubborn, and doesn't back down when she's made up her mind. There are a few instances of them butting heads, and it's usually a toss-up as to who will win that round. I liked that Morgan quickly came to trust Roman, though her past creates some obstacles that cause problems. Roman knows his feelings for Morgan very quickly, and though she suspects what hers are, she has trouble getting out of her head long enough to listen to her heart. I hurt for Roman when he thought their relationship was doomed, and I loved how Morgan showed her love for him.
The suspense was fantastic and kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. I've read every book in the series, so the Coltons' frustration with Spence's elusiveness was perfectly understandable. Morgan and Roman made a great team, as Roman's understanding of the people they dealt with was a good balance for Morgan's natural impatience. I laughed at Morgan's reaction to her disguise during their foray at the warehouse, and her determination impressed me. The intensity increased when they got the needed information, and the entire Colton clan convened to plan their action. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with a twist that threw their careful planning into chaos. The resolution was well done, with plenty of action and nerve-wracking tension. The epilogue was a terrific wrap-up for the book and the series.
When Spence steals a large amount of money (To Trust a Colton Cowboy), Morgan knows he'll have to find a way to get it out of the country, most likely by laundering it through some unscrupulous business. With a short time to figure it out, Morgan knows of one man who might be able to help - Roman DiMera. The problem is that she and Roman have a history she's tried unsuccessfully to forget.
Roman owns a bar where, almost a year earlier, Morgan and her friends celebrated a birthday a little too well. While the super-responsible Morgan ensured her friends had safe ways home, her rideshare was unavailable. Roman, unable to take his eyes off her all evening, offered to drive her home. The sparks between them were undeniable, and they shared a very passionate kiss before the alcohol won the fight. Both remember that night - Roman with pleasure and Morgan with embarrassment.
Morgan goes to Roman for help because she knows he spent time in prison for insider trading and hopes he can give her ideas on where to look for money laundering information. This is an intensely awkward scene, as Morgan's discomfort over their last encounter, his prison record, and her issues with something from her past cause her to be surprisingly inarticulate. I ached for Roman as he felt judged and disrespected.
I liked Roman a lot. He doesn't try to hide or minimize his past. He's upfront about what he did, knew he was doing wrong, and deserved his punishment. He also admits that his time in prison had a beneficial effect on him. I liked that he also employs other ex-cons, giving them a chance that few other employers do. An incident with one of those employees ultimately showed what a good man he is.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Morgan and Roman. Morgan is so buttoned-up and uptight at the beginning, with her work-focused intensity, that she is flummoxed by her attraction to Roman. She gets so flustered by his request for her to have dinner with him in exchange for his help that I couldn't help laughing, especially when he follows it up with another scorching kiss. I was a little disappointed in her initially because she couldn't get past his prison record. I liked that he called her out on it; she was smart enough to realize how unfairly she treated him. Once they got past the initial awkwardness, it was lovely to see how much they had in common.
I loved seeing them grow closer as they collaborated to get the information to bring down Spence. Roman is very protective of her, which gets on Morgan's nerves. She is independent, stubborn, and doesn't back down when she's made up her mind. There are a few instances of them butting heads, and it's usually a toss-up as to who will win that round. I liked that Morgan quickly came to trust Roman, though her past creates some obstacles that cause problems. Roman knows his feelings for Morgan very quickly, and though she suspects what hers are, she has trouble getting out of her head long enough to listen to her heart. I hurt for Roman when he thought their relationship was doomed, and I loved how Morgan showed her love for him.
The suspense was fantastic and kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. I've read every book in the series, so the Coltons' frustration with Spence's elusiveness was perfectly understandable. Morgan and Roman made a great team, as Roman's understanding of the people they dealt with was a good balance for Morgan's natural impatience. I laughed at Morgan's reaction to her disguise during their foray at the warehouse, and her determination impressed me. The intensity increased when they got the needed information, and the entire Colton clan convened to plan their action. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with a twist that threw their careful planning into chaos. The resolution was well done, with plenty of action and nerve-wracking tension. The epilogue was a terrific wrap-up for the book and the series.
