I fell for Troy and Ruby in His Risk to Take and was excited to see that they were getting a new novella. This novella is a transition to the new Crossing the Line series.

From day one their relationship had never been anything less than exciting. Explosive. Often volatile. Could one expect anything less between a stubborn pool hustler and an NYPD detective who thrived on exercising control?

Former pool hustler Ruby Elliott and NYPD Detective Troy Bennett are now happy in their fairly new relationship. They have scorching hot chemistry and a deep connection and have been through some serious situations together. Ruby is finally learning to trust and enjoying the positive changes in her life. 

But now an old threat could ruin it all. Ruby's father is back in town and has a proposition for her. And he knows just how to manipulate her...he always has.

Troy is dirty talking, sexy, jealous and completely alpha. He is intense, passionate, and totally obsessed with fulfilling all of Ruby's needs. On the outside he is this tough cop, but I loved seeing his vulnerability too. Ruby is definitely his Achilles' heel. Troy is all about control, and being out of it drives him crazy. And his strong need  to protect Ruby cannot be subdued. He is a man on a mission. He has to allow Ruby to make some of her own decisions, but also has to keep their relationship intact and keep her safe. But it is a precarious situation with high stakes.

"If it comes down to a choice between your safety, your life, and keeping you as my girlfriend. I'd keep you safe every time. I'm sorry. It's how I'm built, Ruby."

Ruby is just finding her own way with a new business and building a trusting relationship. She is strong-willed, stubborn, impulsive, and tends to end up in risky situations. 

Her penchant for trouble and unwillingness to see disasters in her path were traits he'd had to accept in order to keep her. 

Together their trust is tested. They always react strongly and sometimes it gets out of control. Their passion and need is all consuming and so is their need to protect each other. 

There are hidden agendas, secrets, suspense, and danger. They are all swept back into an unpredictable dangerous world where trusting people can get you killed and no one is truly safe. And Troy and Ruby are both so stubborn and volatile that dealing with it all could tear down the relationship and trust they worked so hard to build. There are plot twists and surprises that kept it even more interesting. 

This is a fast paced novella told in both points of view. It is steamy, suspenseful, dramatic, and emotional. It brings back his cop friends and their significant others Brent and Hayden, Daniel and Story, and Matt and Lucy. And more importantly we get to reconnect with Ruby's long time best friend Bowen. His life has changed some since we last saw him in His Risk to Take and he will be the subject of the next book Risking it All. We got a little taste of what he is dealing with in this one. 

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Riskier Business is a great re-introduction to Ruby, Troy, and Bowen before diving into Risking it All. While I hadn’t thought Ruby and Troy had more to deal with, this story proved me wrong. 

Ruby is pulled back into the gray area she lived in for so long by a few quick words from her father -- words that left her feeling like she had no choice but to do what he wanted. But Troy's reaction was far different, because this was a situation he couldn't control, and his control is his stability.

From start to finish this was a fun quick read. There were some surprise revelations, and Ruby and Troy were forced to challenge their relationship once again. I wasn’t looking for a few of the twists, but once they happened I couldn’t see the story going any way but the way it did.

I loved the bridge that this story creates between the cop focused original series, and the new Crossing the Line series that looks like it will be balancing the line between criminal and law enforcement. Risking It All is waiting for me on my ereader, and I can’t wait to dive in for more Bowen.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Risking It all  (Crossing the Line #1)
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Expected January 27, 2014

Connor Bannon is supposed to be dead. Dishonorably discharged from the Navy SEALs when his past exploded in his face, he's spent the last two years working as a street enforcer in Brooklyn, New York, for his cousin's crime ring. But thanks to a twist of fate, he's been given a fresh start in Chicago, going undercover to bust criminals. Just like himself.

Erin "she's getting away" O'Dea knows two things. She hates authority. And...nope, that's it. She hates authority. When this beautiful escape artist is forced to operate on the other side of the law, her fear of being confined and controlled roars to the surface. The last thing she expects is Connor, a man who becomes her adversary on sight, to soothe her when she needs it most.

When danger threatens their team from every side, Connor and Erin are thrust into a perilous situation that places one of them in the line of fire. They're forced to admit their feelings, feelings that run true and deep. But will it be too late?