Ex-cop Enrique (Ric) Alvarado has set up a PI firm in Sarasota, Florida. The younger sister of his best friend from high school, Annie Dugan, is working for or with him (they haven't quite established which yet), and the assistance she provides is balanced by the distraction his attraction to her provides. It helps, to some extent, that she's a lesbian, and therefore firmly off limits.
Annie's still recovering from the death of one of her oldest friends from cancer. She took a long time off work to care for Pam, and couldn't readjust to life in Boston. Working for that irritating, sexist, womanising best friend of her brother is a good start while she works out what she wants to do next. But it's distracting - despite his philandery she's long been attracted to him.
FBI agent Jules Cassidy may be gay but that hasn't stood in the way of his success - tenacious, dedicated and hard-working, he's rapidly making his way up the ladder. The only thing missing from his life is a partner. Marine Ben Webster's interested in filling that position, but Jules doesn't return the depth of feeling Ben's latest email indicates he feels for Jules. Besides, after his disastrous, and all-too-brief, pairing with up-and-coming movie star Robin Chadwick, he's not interested in dating someone who's still closeted.
Robin's latest movie's creating a buzz - assisted by his ex-SEAL brother-in-law Cosmo, Robin got in some real Navy training, and did all his own stunts. Agents who wouldn't return his calls are now coming to him, and he has a three picture deal in the wind. Okay, maybe he has trouble getting hot FBI agent Jules out of him mind even though it's been a couple of years, but he can't come out at this point in his career, and maybe he needs a drink or two to make it through, but he's not an alcoholic like his mom.
In Force of Nature Brockmann combines two strong romances (one with new characters Ric and Annie, one following up on a plot developed in Hot Target, which hasn't been reviewed here) with an action novel to create one of her trademark juicy novels that I had a lot of trouble putting down.
The writing's crisp and vivid, the characterisation's strong and layered, the dialogue in natural and individualised (so none of the characters is easily confused with another), and the issues around homosexuality are tackled head on - career risk, closeting, exposure, homophobia and prejudice are all addressed within the novel without turning it into an ideological flag.
Though rewarding in its own right, and with enough detail to make every aspect clear to follow, I recommend reading Brockmann's SEAL team 16/TroubleShooters series in order, as the resolution of long lived story arcs and familiarity with the supporting cast makes each new production more satisfying than coming to it cold. Having read every one from Unsung Hero to this, I found myself both replete and interested in the next book - like a perfect meal! - Alex
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