Wild Card by Lora Leigh
St. Martins Press
Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Full Length, M/F
Review by Hibiscus

A Fatal Escape ... It was supposed to be simple. All Navy SEAL Nathan Malone had to do was rescue three young girls from a Colombia drug cartel, then allow himself to be captured just long enough to draw out a government spy. That was before his mission went disastrously wrong...and before his wife, Bella, was told that Nathan was never coming home.

A Dangerous Desire ... Bella's mourned her husband's death for three long years. But she has no idea he's still alive. Forced to assume a new identity, the man Nathan was is now dead. If he can get back to his wife, can he keep the secret of who he really is...even as desire threatens to consume them? And as danger threatens to tear Bella from Nathan's arms once more?

♥ ♥ ♥

This is the seventh story in the Tempting SEALS  series. I just have to say that they just keep getting better and hotter. I learned a little about Nathan in previous books. All of the books are related and you feel as if you never left when you pick one up but you can read the stories independently. I am happy to finally hear Nathan's story.

This book tore my heart out. The love that Nathan and Bella had for each other is something that you rarely see, let alone experience. The depth of emotion that I felt when I read the story was truly amazing. I could see how Bella fell apart for three years after Nathan's “death”. Her pain and then her determination when she picks herself up to rebuild Irish's business before it's too late. As the story goes on, I could see the confusion that Bella had and the feelings of betraying her husband. I felt the depth of the love that Bella and Noah had for each other even as they tried to deny it to themselves and each other. The story is written in a way that I could go into it and experience everything the characters were feeling and doing.

I loved how Ms. Leigh wrote about Nathan being torn between himself as Noah and Nathan. I could believe everything he did and felt. He was a dead man walking as he liked to refer to himself. The way his emotions fought with themselves in regard to Bella. The  mission that he took part in and the equipment they used shows the research that went into the writing of this novel.

There are many sub characters. Good guys and bad guys. They all contribute to the story and keep it on a fast pace that had me furiously turning the pages. The story line takes many twists and turns and kept me guessing on who did what and who is who. I am happy to say that four more dead men where introduced. I can only hope that they lead to many more books in this riveting series.