Deadly Odds
by Adrienne Giordano
Synopsis:
At Casino Fortuna, stakes are high and the nights are hot…
FBI agent-turned-consultant Kate Daniels hit the jackpot with her new assignment. A cheat is cashing in on the Strip, and she’s hired by Vegas’ biggest name to ensure his glamorous casino isn’t a target. Fortuna is a high roller’s paradise, all gleaming marble and dollar signs. Even a single flaw in security could cost big bucks. Kate can’t afford distractions. Especially the tall, dark and perfectly chiseled kind. Business and pleasure don’t mix. And sleeping with the boss is a dangerous gamble.
Fortuna’s VP of casino operations, Ross Cooper, is gaming’s golden boy. He’s got a head for business, an eye for beautiful women, and a love for the Vegas lifestyle. When he spots a gorgeous redhead casing his blackjack tables, Ross is more than a little intrigued—he’s suspicious. But Kate is no thief…she’s working for him? Ross hates surprises almost as much as the idea of trouble in his casino.
Kate quickly proves she’s more than a pretty face. Her instincts and smarts are just as enticing. And when her investigation turns deadly, Ross will risk it all to keep her by his side.
Review:
Yay! A new series by Adrienne Giordano 🙂
I have to admit, what I know about gambling would fit on the head of a pin. A very, very small pin. I went to a casino once with my mother while we were in the Bahamas–we played a quarter slot machine once each and then left with no desire to return or do more. So the world in which this series is set is completely foreign to me, though I’ve read (and loved) Sarah MacLean’s The Rules of Scoundrels series and adored the Ocean’s Eleven movies. (The George Clooney version, obvs.) However, that didn’t stop me from loving the story, its characters, and yes, even the setting.
(Though I finally Googled “mini bac” at about the 2/3 point. I had no clue what on earth it could possibly be, it had become increasingly clear that it was going to be of some importance for the plot. It refers to mini baccarat, apparently. It’s a kind of card game–though I at least had that much sussed out on my own!)
So it was safe to say I wasn’t going to be figuring out the solution to the “suspense” part of this one solo–though I was all over the “romantic” portion of the story! 😉
Despite my ignorance of casinos and how cheating might be carried out in them, I had a lot of fun reading this first-in-the-series book. I loved both Kate and Ross, and Ross’s coworkers (his assistant Marcia, who rules the office with an iron fist and Don, the head of casino security) were absolutely awesome. I’d sign up for the rest of series based on the camaraderie of those three alone–four, if Kate will ditch her loser boss and consent to join their team. Each and every time Don offered to make Kate his “number four” I just had to smile. Because yeah, the guy’s a charmer. His old-school sexism aside.
But Ross…now that man’s a whole ‘nother story. And when he’s together on the page with Kate? The sparks are definitely flying. Now if they can just figure out who’s managing to cheat the casino–preferably before anyone else gets killed–they might have a chance at an actual relationship and not get fired…
Anxiously awaiting book two! I can’t wait to see where this series is going to go 🙂
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
