Publisher: Entangled
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: ARC from the author
The only thing more dangerous than passion is the truth.
Retired Marine and new Sheriff’s Deputy Cade Evigan is hanging onto his damaged soul—and his personal code—by a thread. His current mission? Weed out a violent motorcycle crew from a small mountain town. The problem? Katrina Killian, a woman standing firmly on the other side of the law, smack in the middle of the gang he’s there to destroy. She may get under his skin, but the sultry biker has criminal written all over her. So why can’t he see her like any other convict?
For two years, Katrina has been a DEA agent hiding in plain sight amidst a pack of killers, working to put an end to the gang that has terrorized her hometown. The last thing she needs is to fall in love with a man who could blow her cover—and her heart—to pieces, but Cade’s become an addiction she can’t break. Unable to risk either of their lives with the truth, she plays both ends against the middle to keep him safe. But lies can only last so long, and Katrina’s time has just run out…
This blurb came from the author’s website.
This is a rerelease from Tenorio’s backlist and according to my records I read it originally about two or three years ago. I didn’t realize it from the title and the new cover but once I started I thought it sounded familiar so I went and did some research. I enjoyed it originally and thought I would go ahead and do this re-read. As a result of the vagueness of my memory from my previous read however, I can’t tell you if it was altered in any manner but I can say the major scene I did remember remained the same and still packed quite a punch.
Cade was having a crisis of faith in himself and what he stands for. A former Marine – and I don’t know for sure the events that led to his departure from active service – was a new Sherriff’s deputy in a town mostly run by a vicious gang. Cade was certainly suffering from PTSD and kept getting closer and closer to losing the last bits of himself except Katrina, a former convict kept dragging him back into the world. As she made him see there was more to the town and more to life than his grim existence he started to think he could make a difference. However, it also seemed as if each time he made some progress a setback would occur.
Katrina had just as many if not more secrets as anyone in the small town. Born and raised there with blood ties to the gang she escaped by way of some time in juvenile hall. After being away from the town for several years she returned and took over running the local bar aka gang hangout and acting as the unofficial Old Lady/messenger from the imprisoned gang leader. Yet for someone so involved in the gang, not everything she said and did fit her image.
I really enjoyed the slow growing friendship and romance between Cade and Katrina as she slowly dragged him back into the world and gave him some insights to becoming part of the community without compromising his morals. While Cade found a new joy in life he was also torn with guilt because he felt he couldn’t entirely trust Katrina or her motives as a former convict involved in the gang. Katrina on the other hand was frustrated by Cade’s combination of uncaring, lack of trust, and the lack of progress on her mission. Yet even with her frustration she really only relaxed and felt safe around Cade.
I liked how the tension built and the personal stakes rose for both Cade and Katrina as things went on. Watching the town structure dissolve as the gang violence grew and Katrina’s relative safety in the gang erode brought home what she was risking. I did have a few problems with some coincidences towards the end that allowed Cade and Katrina to have a chance at survival but overall I enjoyed my reread of Convicted
I give Convicted a B.
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