REVIEW: The Conspiracy by Kat Martin

In The Conspiracy (Maximum Security #1) by Kat Martin, when her brother heads on vacation, promising to call her and check in every so often, Harper Winston begins to worry when she doesn’t hear from him after four days. Deciding to hire a private investigator because she’s worried, she finds herself challenged to keep her relationship strictly professional with Chase Garrett, the man who was once her brother’s best friend. However, the deeper they get into the investigation into finding her brother, the more Harper finds herself falling for Chase. Will Chase and Harper achieve their shot at happy ever after or will one of them break the other’s heart?

”I need your help, Chase. Mikey’s missing. I’m afraid something terrible has happened to him.”
“Missing? Are you sure? How long has he been gone?”
“Today’s the fifth day. Almost a week without a word.”
“As I recall, it wasn’t unlike Michael to disappear for several weeks at a time. He always turned up sooner or later.”

Ms. Martin writes such fantastic romantic suspense stories and I absolutely loved this first book of her Maximum Security series. Not only because it encompasses the brother’s best friend trope, but because the main characters were fantastic because of what they go through on their journey to happy ever after including whether they’ll come out on top of the bad guys; it has compelling dialogue that pulled me in from the very beginning because the hero and heroine have quite the history; and the obstacles these two face to be together had me wondering whether they’d be able to overcome them.

As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories, the danger these two face in their endeavor to locate the whereabouts of the heroine’s brother, and how far the bad guys are willing to go to get what they want. However, the dialogue wasn’t all intense because the heroine loves to challenge the hero and prove she can do anything she puts her mind to. Why shouldn’t she be with the hero all the way? Moreover, the heroine is resilient and courageous when it came to how far she was willing to go to get to the bottom of her brother’s disappearance and to help him get away from the people that kidnapped him. I also liked how she handled the challenges she faces when the bad guys are so determined to get to her. Why are the bad guys so focused on capturing the heroine? Will they capture her? Yet, what I liked most of all is the close relationship she shares with her brother and that she would do anything for him, especially since their dad and her brother aren’t exactly on the best of terms.

”It’s been rumored for years Knox was up to his sleazy eyeballs in the drug trade.”
Chase grunted. “I should have figured that from the start.”
“I think your attraction to Harper might have clouded your vision. Makes anything happening between you two a whole lot tougher.”

While the hero, he’s confident, hard-working, driven to finding Michael because the man was once his best friend and I liked that he included the heroine in everything when it came to the investigation into her brother’s disappearance, even though there was every possibility she could become a target of the kidnappers. I also liked how determined he was to do the right thing because justice is important, even if his findings end up hurting the heroine and ruining their growing relationship. Will the hero makes the right decisions when it comes to the heroine? Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero was his close relationships with his brothers because they are always there for each other through thick and thin. No way would they allow the hero to go up against the bad guys on his own. Besides, Michael is just as important to Chase and his family as Harper is to Chase.

Overall, Ms. Martin has delivered a well-written and enthralling read in this book where there are more points-of-view told than just the hero and heroine, which makes things very interesting; the chemistry between this couple was strong; the romance was full of heat and passion and had me hoping that after all they go through that they end up together; and the ending had me worried for the main characters, but had me loving the hero’s determination to prove to the heroine that they’re meant to be together forever. Will the heroine realize he’s right? That she shouldn’t let things that have happened ruin their chance at a future together. I would recommend The Conspiracy by Kat Martin, if you enjoy romantic suspense, the brother’s best friend trope or books by authors Laura Griffin, Kris Rafferty, Karen Rock and Cynthia Eden.

Book Info:

Publication: January 22nd, 2019 | HQN Books | Maximum Security #1

Harper Winston’s brother has disappeared. Pursuing his dream of sailing the Caribbean, Michael hasn’t responded to texts or emails in days. When even the Coast Guard can’t find him, Harper is forced to take desperate measures. Which means going to Chase Garrett, once her brother’s best friend, now the only man she can trust…or so she hopes.

As the successful owner of Maximum Security, Chase has learned to trust his gut. He knows Harper’s father is mixed up in a deadly business, and suspects there’s more to Michael’s disappearance than meets the eye. Getting involved again with the Winstons goes against everything he stands for, yet old loyalties die hard. As the case draws him closer to Harper and deeper into the Winstons’ snarled crime family, he is forced to put everything on the line to keep Harper safe…and both of them alive.