Excellent book with a terrific blend of romance and suspense. Mallory is the ship's doctor for the maiden voyage of a brand new cruise ship. This is a great thing for her career and one more step to getting her life back on track after the trauma she experienced several years earlier. This same trauma has made her wary of men and pretty much put an end to her dating life. Everest is the head of security on the ship. He is fighting his own demons after surviving an IED attack while in the military but losing part of his leg. His fiancée's inability to handle his injuries dealt a blow to his confidence with the opposite sex and he has avoided getting close to a woman ever since then.
I loved the initial meeting between the two of them. Everest was definitely intrigued by Mallory, both by her beauty and by the flare of emotion he saw in her eyes. He suspected there was a story there, but between his issues and the fact that they were coworkers, he knew he shouldn't pursue it. However, that knowledge didn't stop him from wanting to know more. Mallory was surprised by her reaction to Everest. Though she had initially been wary, there was something about him that put her at ease, and that surprised her. Their next encounter cemented their interest in each other, as Everest is impressed by Mallory's handling of two drugged out passengers, and Mallory realizes that she is relieved by Everest's presence. We also get our first indication that this cruise is not going to be uneventful.
The tension increases for Mallory when passengers begin falling ill with what appears to be a highly contagious illness. Things get stranger when a crewmember begins to exhibit signs of something much more disturbing. I loved how Mallory and Everest worked together to discover the cause, and in doing so grew closer. Though Mallory had already decided to stop letting her past control her, putting it into practice still wasn't easy. It took a great deal of courage and faith to open up to Everest about what happened to her. I loved the sensitivity that had already made him suspect what had happened, and his understanding and support were not what she expected. I also loved how Everest's growing feelings for Mallory enabled him to share what had happened to him. Mallory's easy acceptance of his injuries surprised him. There was a very sweet and humorous scene involving her getting distracted by specifics that made me both sigh and laugh. I really liked the way that they took the time to get to know each other before taking the next step. The ending was great as both were able to let go of their fears and truly open their hearts to each other.
The suspense of the story was fantastic. The premise of how the terrorists recruited locals, and their plan to use the ship was all too believable in today's society. It added an extra layer of intensity to the whole story. I felt the fear, right along with Mallory and then Everest, as they uncovered just how insidious the preparations were. I ached for Everest as he discovered the involvement of a trusted colleague. The attacks on Mallory were scary, and I loved Everest's increasing need to protect her. As the tension built to its climax, I couldn't put the book down until I knew how it turned out. The final confrontation was intense, and I loved how it played out.
I also enjoyed seeing Olivia and Logan (Enticed by the Operative) and Avery and Grant (Dr. Do-or-Die) as they joined Mallory on the cruise. I loved the surprise that Olivia and Avery showed as they witnessed Mallory's growing relationship with Everest and their happiness for her. I also loved how both couples provided backup to protect Mallory when she needed it. I loved seeing all three couples together in the epilogue.
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