REVIEW: Blood Money by Tee O’Fallon

Posted April 22nd, 2017 by in Blog, HJ Recommends, Review, Romantic Suspense / 4 comments

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In Blood Money (NYPD Blue & Gold #2) by Tee O’Fallon, Gray Yates is a man loyal to the badge. But when it comes to Alex Romano, the gorgeous woman he wants to get to know better, he finds himself torn between duty and love when she’s blackmailed by the Pyramid; a mysterious group of assassins any cop would enjoy taking down. Can Gray keep her safe, or will the big secret she’s tried so desperately to keep buried tear them apart and rob them of their chance at happy ever after?

“Red or white?”
“Red. Something spicy.”
“Spicy?” He lowered his voice and arched a brow. “I had no idea you were so wild and adventurous.”
She arched a brow in return. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know.” Like the fact that she hadn’t flirted with a man in so long she thought she’d forgotten how.
“I look forward to learning more.”

The first book of this series featuring Gray’s sister was a fantastic read, and this one was just as good. The way this story started is quite explosive, sets the fast pace of this story and definitely piqued my interest to discover what happened next. Will the pyramid get the best of the cops? Will Gray and his partner finally be able to take the deadly group down? Why do they choose Alex to blackmail?

As for the dialogue, it was powerful and so entertaining that I was hooked to every moment of this story. All the obstacles Gray and Alex face on their journey to happy ever after certainly made it seem impossible that love would win in the end, but Gray isn’t about to give up hope, especially when he realizes how wrong he is about Alex. She doesn’t have a dishonest bone in her body, even though she has many shocking secrets that make it hard for Gray to trust her after the last woman he was with betrayed him so horribly. Really, all she’s guilty of is doing what’s best for her and her son. Her husband is a dangerous man; one she needed to escape from and I could sympathize with her reasons for trying to keep her secret safe.

Alex is strong and brave with everything she’s gone through in the past. She would do anything for her son, and making certain her husband doesn’t discover her whereabouts is her number one priority. Although, when she’s blackmailed, clearing her name also becomes important. Her determination to prove she’s innocent puts her in some very dangerous situations and had me on the edge-of-my-seat. Would Gray be able to protect her? How far is she willing to go to prove her innocence? What happens when the danger becomes too much? Will Alex come out of every confrontation she has with the bad guys unscathed?

”Did you know all the women talk about you behind your back?”
“Uh-oh.” Gray squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced.
“Nothing bad. They all secretly lust after you, even the married ones.”
“Same goes for you, princess.” When he smiled, Alex breathed a sigh of relief that she’d taken the right approach in changing topic. “All the guys in the squad take bets on who will be the first to get lucky with you.”
“I’d say you won that wager by a landslide.”

While Gray, he’s loyal, honest, tenacious and protective when it comes to Alex, even though her secrets could destroy any hope they have of finding their happy ever after. Also, I liked the growing bond between Alex’s son and Gray. The kid is enamored by the hero, and it’s no wonder he wants his mom to find happiness with someone like Gray. Moreover, the hero grows a lot throughout this story and finds that things aren’t always black and white, especially when it comes to Alex and her secrets. She had every right to protect herself, even if it meant doing things that could get her arrested.

Overall, Ms. O’Fallon has penned a riveting romantic suspense in this second book of her NYPD Blue & Gold series where the wonderful romance illustrated how much these two main characters needed each other to heal from the hurts of their pasts. The way this story ended felt a little anti-climatic after the build-up with what happened to Alex. Too bad the situation with her husband ended the way it did. I thought he didn’t deserve such an easy way out after everything he did to her. However, in saying that, I’m glad that what did happen paved the way for Alex and Gray to be together and that the epilogue wrapped this story up perfectly. Certainly, Gray knows how to surprise the woman he loves. I would recommend Blood Money by Tee O’Fallon, if you enjoy romantic suspense, the enemy to lovers trope, or a story where the secondary characters entertain a reader just as much as the main do and the hero and heroine need each other to help heal the wounds of their pasts.
 

Book Info:

Publication: January 23rd, 2017 | Entangled Publishing | NYPD Blue & Gold #2

In the safety of his arms lies passion…and danger.

NYPD Detective Gray Yates has major trust issues. Protecting a serenely beautiful woman hiding enough secrets to take down an entire city wasn’t something he bargained for. She’s a loving single mother, hot as hell, and protecting her will test every ounce of his resolve.

Alex Romano is being blackmailed by the Pyramid—an elusive international organization of assassins every cop in the world is after. When Alex tries severing ties with them they refuse to let her go. The darkly dangerous detective she’s irresistibly drawn to is her only hope of staying out of jail. He just might be her savior…or her downfall.

Despite efforts to maintain his professionalism, Gray can’t deny the fiery passion Alex ignites in him. In an explosive confrontation, Alex’s lies are revealed and Gray is faced with the most important decision of his life: trust the woman he’s falling in love with, or arrest her.

Each book in the NYPD Blue & Gold series is a standalone, full-length story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Series Order:
Book #1: Burnout
Book #2: Blood Money

 

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4 Responses to “REVIEW: Blood Money by Tee O’Fallon”

    • Bec

      I loved the first book of this series more, which features Gray’s sister as the heroine. Hope you enjoy this book, Teresa. Happy reading!