Title:  True Peril
Series:  True Lies #3
Author:  Veronica Forand
Genre:  Romantic Suspense
Published:  March 7, 2016
Publisher:  Entangled Publishing – Select Suspense
My Rating:  4.5 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

Socialite Trista Patterson has turned her back on her life of privilege and dedicated herself to helping others. Her mission to protect the world’s children often takes her into the bleak and violent underbelly of third world countries. When a kidnapping attempt goes wrong, Trista quickly finds herself running for her life…and married to a man she just met…as she’s placed at the top of the Cartel’s most wanted list.

Some days no good deed goes unpunished.

Dane O’Brien has spent his life in the shadows. Once a lethal assassin he grew tired of losing his soul with every hit, trading his gun and missions for a conference table and office politics as an undercover operative for the CIA. But when visiting his humanitarian sister turns deadly, Dane finds himself swearing to protect her beautiful and passionate friend Trista no matter the cost…even if it means stepping back into the world he swore never to return to. Although falling for the tough-hearted Trista is easy, keeping her alive is hard.

Read on for my thoughts on True Peril.  No true spoilers, promise.

True Peril will hold you to its pages from start to ending with fast action, secret identities, daring rescues, a marriage of convenience with more secret identities and a man who will do everything possible including emotional harm to convince one innocent woman that he is the wrong man for her – even when in his heart he knows that is just one more true lie. (yes, I went there and made a pun on the series title. *grin*)

This is one of those stories where it would be so easy to give away far too much in a review.  Dane is a master at becoming someone else, his life at one time meant folding into the shadows and taking out some of the worst pieces of dog dirt on the planet.  Now his life involves more time behind a desk, in a conference room or directing an operation from a remote location undercover.  He is a man who has seen too much evil, and done far too much himself in the name of justice and protection.  He doesn’t see himself as a hero, and he definitely doesn’t deserve the love of a good woman like Trista.

Trista intends to make a difference in the world, mostly through working with children at greatest risk through her humanitarian efforts.  She’s a hands on woman,  one who has shed her shell of privilege and wealth to go and do what matters most.  Even when her caring nature lands her in a ton of hot water, dangerous situations and under the protection of the one man who could bring her more purpose and happiness than she ever imagined possible.  He rescued her and she rescued him right back.  If they make it out of here alive, they just might have a future – if Dane will admit to his feelings and give up on trying to keep her at arm’s length.

True Peril has more twists and turns than a sidewinder in the desert.  Dane and Trista are believable characters placed in situations that really are not that unusual in our world today, sadly.  Trista is a strong woman who is no damsel in distress, she can rescue herself thank you very much.  Yet, having Dane at her side certainly comes in handy, especially with his unique skills.  The secondary characters were strong and well defined – the bad guys particularly evil.  This is the third story in the True Lies series, yet I do not believe you need to have read the first two to completely understand and enjoy this one.

I would recommend True Peril to any reader who enjoys strong characters, a plot full of suspense and twists and a couple who obviously belong together they just have to get themselves pulled together to realize it.  The two earlier books in this series, Untrue Colors and True Deceptions are well worth a read if you would like to go back to the beginning.

*I received an e-ARC of True Peril from the publisher, Entangled Publishing – Select Suspense and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  That does not change what I think of this novel.*

Available in paperback and for the Kindle