REVIEW: Under Pressure by Lori Foster

In Under Pressure (Body Armor #1) by Lori Foster, Former MMA fighter Leese Phelps never knows what type of assignment he’ll get as one of the lead bodyguards at Body Armor, but he can be sure it won’t be boring. And when he meets his next client, Catalina Nicholson, Leese knows she’s going to test his patience, his wits, and his heart before all is said and done. Cat is in some serious danger and it’s up to him to keep her safe. But without knowing exactly who is out to get his beautiful little art teacher, he’ll have to go with his gut instincts and hope that the agency will have his back with any decisions he has to make.

“I’m not holding you against your will.”
One of her brows lifted.
“I’m here to keep you safe.”
“So you’ve said. But if I chose to leave?”
He gave her the truth. “I’d follow.”

Being on the run for the past six weeks, Cat could certainly use an ally. And she really wants that to be Leese and his friend Justice. But she’s concerned about who hired him to guard her and wonders if it will ultimately just lead to being captured by those out to get her. On top of that, Cat has never felt so connected with a guy before and wouldn’t you just know that Mr. Alpha-in-Control Leese won’t give in to that desire, no matter how obvious their attraction is. As the threat escalates, she must decide if she should give herself up to save her new protectors from harm or if there’s another way out of their situation.

‘Somehow she had to convince him that they could continue a relationship outside this tragic circumstance.’

Lori Foster’s new Body Armor series, a spinoff of the Ultimate series about MMA fighters, started off on exactly the right foot. Hunky alpha males with good hearts? Check! Intelligent, sassy heroines who can keep the guys in line? Check! And an exciting, fast-moving plot with lots of action–in and out of the bedroom? Double-check!

‘He considered her a job. His responsibility. In some ways, he already considered her…his.
Dumb. Dangerous. But looking down at her, needing to protect her, wanting her, he couldn’t deny the truth of his feelings.’

I truly do adore Lori Foster’s writing style and especially her character building ability. To me, even when the characters have outlandish qualities or are put in some extreme situations, they still seem realistic. I can relate to them and in most cases would want to befriend them in real life. That was exactly how Leese, Catalina, and the rest of their crew were for me. Leese and Justice might have been badass MMA fighters previously but they had huge hearts and were extremely loyal. I loved those two interacting, as well as when the rest of the Ultimate guys made appearances. So much fun and camaraderie between them all.

And I have to say that seeing tiny little Cat stand up for herself in the midst of the big, brawny guys was absolutely priceless and comical. She was a really fun character who quite honestly I wasn’t so sure of in the beginning. She seemed a little…off, but once we learned what Cat was running from and what she had been through, it all made sense. I thought she and Leese made a great couple who had lots of intense chemistry between them and who both wanted to protect each other and do the honorable thing. Will it seem like insta-love to some readers? Possibly. But considering that Leese and Cat were thrown together 24/7 while he was protecting her, I thought it was plausible and it worked for their personalities.

I so enjoyed that Cat wasn’t the only female who stood up to the guys. We also had the new owner of Body Armor, Sahara Silver, who knew how to hold her own. I think she’s going to be a very interesting character to follow in future installments. I had to laugh that Justice, Leese and the rest of her employees were a little bit afraid of Sahara and never knew what plan she was going to come up with to keep Cat and her guys safe. But I really liked that she had such a genuine heart and could go with the flow when things were thrown at her.

Under Pressure had just about everything you could want in a romance. I think fans will enjoy the danger in the midst of corruption, the connection between the protagonists, and of course the sexy bodyguards themselves. Such a terrific beginning to the Body Armor series!

Book Info:

 Expected publication: January 23rd 2017 | by MIRA | Body Armor #1

He can protect anything except his heart

Leese Phelps’s road hasn’t been an easy one, but it’s brought him to the perfect job — working for the elite Body Armor security agency. And what his newest assignment lacks in size, she makes up for in fire and backbone. But being drawn to Catalina Nicholson is a dangerous complication, especially since it could be the very man who hired Leese who’s threatening her.

What Catalina knows could get her killed. But who’d believe the sordid truth about her powerful stepfather? Beyond Leese’s ripped body and brooding gaze is a man of impeccable honour. He’s the last person she expects to trust — and the first who’s ever made her feel safe. And he’s the only one who can help her expose a deadly secret, if they can just stay alive long enough…

“Count on Lori Foster for sexy, edgy romance.” — New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz on No Limits