"fun espionage romance"

Ethan Crane is the best operative the ultra top secret The Goddard Project has. When the going gets tough and the tough retreat, Ethan gets the job done. That is why desk jock Beth Whitney, daughter of the agency chief, avoids him like the plague though she is attracted to the hunk. She had one relationship too many with a macho agent Alan Hyatt, who is now working in the same office as her.

However, the Prescott case needs a female to supplement Ethan's cover and Beth is selected. As she tries to keep their relationship platonically professional, he wants her. His kisses melt her, but it is the phone sex that makes her crave him. As they bond while on assignment, Beth begins to reconsider her rule not to date field agents as Ethan owns her soul but she also remembers Alan stood her up at the alter for a case; unbeknownst to Beth, she owns his heart and other body parts too.

This is a fun espionage romance starring a fascinating female who trusts her life with field agent Ethan, but not her heart as she believes that to operatives the mission always comes first. Ethan is a wonderful hero as he has the image especially with the ladies of James Bond so he knows his toughest case is to persuade Beth he needs her (his bulging pants apparently is circumstantial and not hard core evidence to her). Though similar in tone to the miniseries READY, WILLING, AND ABLE Lucy Monroe provides a tense romantic suspense.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted May 27, 2007

Summary

Safeguarding high-tech secrets may be their game, but the men and women of The Goddard Project are anything but geeks. They carry out their missions with panache—and a passion that sometimes extends far beyond the call of duty...

Anytime, anyplace, Ethan Crane's your man. An agent's agent, he's tough, smart, and fearless. Exactly the guy you want when the stuff hits the fan—and precisely the kind Beth Whitney avoids like the plague. It took a fiancé (make that ex-fiancé) in the business to teach her, but she's learned her lesson: Don't. Date. Agents. Ever. It's this little rule that's kept her gainfully employed at the agency, doing her part for world security from behind a desk. So when a case throws the two together, Beth's determined to keep it strictly professional. So far, so good—except for the steamy kisses, the red-hot phone sex, and...What was that rule again?

To Ethan, Beth couldn't be less his type if her father ran the agency, which, oh yeah, her father does run the agency. Still he can't help but be impressed by her inspired work in the field—a total turn on. Off the field it's even better. Seems the old adage that opposites attract happens to agents too. Even if Beth insists it's just a fantasy. But hot pursuit of a notorious information broker is what they should focus on—not each other. That can wait until they've accomplished a job well done. Or can it?