cover image Hidden Heat

Hidden Heat

Carla Swafford. Loveswept, $2.99 e-book (219p) ISBN 978-1-101-88610-6

Swafford teaches a profound lesson about trust and acceptance in this brutal motorcycle club contemporary. Cassidy Ryder is the 21-year-old daughter of the former president of the Alabama-based Brothers of Mayhem, but she wants nothing to do with the motorcycle club, since her father was a violent criminal who killed her mother. She’s determined to rescue her 18-year-old brother from the clutches of the gang—and the temptations of a life of booze, women, and violence—even if it means embedding herself in the organization. Undercover cop Thorn Savalas is trying to keep Cassidy safe, not dig her deeper into trouble, but when Cassidy’s uncontrollable temper angers Stonewall, the club’s current president, Thorn’s only way to protect her is to claim her as his woman, and her only chance of survival is to play along. As their charade of being lovers bands them together, they uncover each other’s secrets and connect on an emotional level, making it difficult for them both to remember their relationship is supposed to be fake. This savage contemporary is filled with action, deception, and emotional and sexual tension that leave readers panting right up until the highly anticipated climax. Unfortunately, the ending is rushed and a little bit of a letdown. (Feb.)