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New Release Review! BURNING ACHE by Adrienne Giordano (The Kingstons #5; Steele Ridge #13)

Burning Ache cover

A CIA psychologist on the trail of a deadly weapon falls for her prime suspect and discovers she’s not the only one who has him in her sights…

Way Kingston craves the peaceful solitude of the open road. Just him and the roar of a motorcycle. The kind of alone time that’s hard to find in his tight-knit family. Too tight for his liking. Way’s a grown-ass, former Marine. He doesn’t need their collective noses in his business. Back in Steele Ridge, Way’s building a new career as a gunsmith. Clients pay big bucks for his expertise, ingenuity…and discretion. Especially when national security is at stake. So when a smoking hot stranger with the swagger of a government agent walks into his workshop, Way knows her questions are fully loaded.

Roni Fenwick grew up in the foster system. With no family to watch her back, she can’t afford to lose the few friends she has. Which is why it kills her to lie to Maggie Kingston. But the sheriff’s not-so-little brother designed a game-changing bullet for the CIA. A bullet that’s hit the streets. Now, the agency believes Way double-crossed them and has sent Roni to prove it. Except Way is tougher to crack than she anticipated. And much easier to fall for. His kisses drive her to distraction—something she can’t risk with a killer at large.

As the investigation turns personal, Roni begins to trust in Way’s innocence. But if he’s not behind the top-secret leak, who is? Finding the truth could end her career…or both their lives.

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If you would like to read the entire Steele Ridge series in chronological order, following is the correct order.

The Beginning – The Steeles
Going Hard – The Steeles
Living Fast – The Steeles
Loving Deep – The Steeles
Breaking Free – The Steeles
Roaming Wild – The Steeles
Stripping Bare – The Steeles
Enduring Love – The Steeles
Craving Heat – The Kingstons
Tasting Fire – The Kingstons
Searing Need – The Kingstons
Vowing Love – The Steeles
Striking Edge – The Kingstons
Burning Ache – The Kingstons

Review:

My favorite of the series so far!

Burning Ache is a delicious romance and a kick-butt romantic suspense. I honestly didn’t have a clue who that antagonist was until their identity was revealed–don’t get me wrong; it made 100% sense that it was them and all became clear once the big reveal happened, but Ms. Giordano did a fantastic job of hiding that person’s identity even though we had many sections of the story from their POV as they went about doing their dastardly deeds.

It was awesome 😉

This book is the 13th in the overal Steele Ridge series and 5th in its spin-off series The KIngstons, but it would do pretty well as a standalone, I believe. Other series characters make appearances (Maggie of Craving Heat plays a pretty big role here), but you really don’t have to have read their books to understand (and enjoy!) the events happening here.

Can I just say, though–frangible ammo packed with acid? I’m a bit freaked out by the concept. Thanks, Adrienne Giordano!

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

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