cover image Damage Control

Damage Control

Lisa Renee Jones. St. Martin’s Griffin, $15.99 trade paper (304p) ISBN 978-1-250-08383-8

Jones continues the suspenseful Dirty Money series (Hard Rules) in this similarly hot and flawed second erotic novel, set against the large corporate backdrop of Brandon Enterprises in Denver. Emily Stevens and Shane Brandon build upon the foundation of their tempestuous love affair despite the secrets that both are closely guarding. Shane has discovered Emily’s duplicity, something he cannot tolerate after surviving his own family’s lies. But she has good reasons for not telling him the whole truth. The question becomes moot when a greater threat appears in the form of an encroaching drug cartel that threatens to topple Emily’s new life and freedom, jeopardizing all of the ground Shane has gained in attempting to free the family name and fortune from the less-than-legal dealings brokered by his father and brother. As in the first installment, the intricate story suffers from repetitive prose. The mysteries of Emily’s past should take center stage, but they’re overshadowed by the Brandon family’s sometimes clumsy machinations. Nothing about this book is subtle, but it remains a page-turner with scorching heat. Agent: Louise Fury, Bent Agency. (Feb.)