Secure Desire by R.L. Dunn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4 ½ Stars

Secure Desire is the first book in the Chase Security series by R.L Dunn, and is a really great action-packed romantic suspense- with mystery, murder, intrigue, violence, brutality, spills and thrills, hidden agendas, sinister plots, clandestine ops, covert organizations, private security, family, friendship, Politics, loss, betrayal, chemistry….. and soooo much more.
Ian Chase is an ex-Navy SEAL turned successful business man, now heading up the Chase Group, a billion dollar global empire in the venture capital and private security sector. He has never forgotten a brief encounter with a beautiful, but engaged, art historian he met six years earlier. So, imagine his surprise when he unexpectedly encounters her again- only now she’s no longer engaged or married, and works for the FBI. He knows there is more to the story, and to her, than she’s letting on. Secrets surround her. And he’s determined to get to the bottom of it all.
Cassiopeia Ellis remembers meeting Ian, and he’d made quite the impression on her. But she remembers very little else from that night. She suffers from amnesia and is haunted by nightmares from a very traumatic experience. Running into Ian again after all these years, both thrills and terrifies her. She still feels their electric chemistry and magnetic pull- but she is deathly afraid that he’ll discover her secret and then won’t want anything to do with her. Much better to push him away, than to suffer the pain and embarrassment of rejection. But Ian has arrived at a point where he is able to really help Cassie- as someone seems to want her dead. Can Ian protect her and keep her safe? Who has targeted Cassie, and why? What happened to her six years ago, and what has that got to do with the present threat? All the answers to these questions, and more, can be discovered between the covers of this suspenseful read!
I really enjoyed this book. I was intrigued right from the beginning, totally engrossed the whole way through. There were some shocking, emotional, and violent moments that had me anxiously reading, on the edge of my seat to discover if things would turn out ok. There was a lot going on, and so much to keep track of, too.
R.L Dunn has written a complex, multi-layered story full of clever interconnected details which gives it a real unpredictability- she kept me guessing the whole way through. I had so many scenarios running through my head, trying to piece everything together and work out what was going on. I though that aspect of the writing, and story, was really well done.
I loved Ian and Cassie, they were so easy to like and invest in. I really felt for Cassie and what she’d been through, and what she was going through!!! OMG- R.L Dunn really put her through the wringer. And then there’s Ian- his protective Alpha hotness was swoon-worthy. I also love Kieran, and Monique, Lil and Declan, Luke and Rachel…. And Hunter, such a sexy man- I’d sure like to know more about him!
The story was meticulously researched, or the author has experience in the field- with all the medical terminology, equipment, and medications that were used in the story, as well as the security lingo and weaponry etc. The story was detailed and vividly descriptive.
The only issue I had, was that there are a LOT of characters in the story- I counted over 130 NAMED characters- which was a lot to keep track of! I didn’t think they all required naming, especially passers-by on the street/hallway, or the nurse at her station etc- especially since many don’t any play a further part in the story. It just was a lot to take in- I like to remember names and places during a story, especially when I’m trying to piece everything together, like in this book- so I found the ‘extra names’ a little ‘messy’ to the overall tight plot-lines. This didn’t detract too much from the storyline, but it was a little distracting, and at times, confusing.
I am really looking forward to reading more of R.L Dunn’s work.

Thank You, R.L Dunn!

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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