White Hot
By Ilona Andrews
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: May 30, 2017
Reviewed by Nancy Northcott
Reviewed by Nancy Northcott
White Hot is the
second book in Andrews’ Hidden Legacy paranormal romance series. It’s set in the same world as the prior
volume, Burn for Me, and continues
the romance of the two leads from that book, Nevada Baylor and Connor Rogan
(a/k/a Mad Rogan).
With help from her family, Nevada runs the private
investigations agency that supports them all.
Her rare magical talent, being able to tell when someone’s lying, is
often useful for her work, but if her ability were widely known, government
agencies and others needing a reliable interrogator would take over her life.
Those are the problems she anticipates. She doesn’t know there’s someone else out
there who would crush her family if the truth about her abilities, which are
steadily growing stronger, were known.
Rogan is a billionaire and a prime, which is the highest
ranking for a magic user. He’s also the
head of House Rogan, a magically gifted line.
In the Hidden Legacy world, families with magical gifts establish houses
to continue their lines. There’s a
non-magical government and civic structure, but these houses hold the true power
in Houston, Texas, where the series is set.
Unfortunately for Nevada, she can’t resist using her gift
when she sees that it’s truly needed.
She also can’t resist a potential client on a desperate quest for
justice for his dead wife, even though that quest pits him and Nevada against
some of the city’s most powerful magical houses.
At the end of the first book, Burn for Me, Nevada and Rogan parted ways after he made an offer
that insulted her. Nevada’s family is
sure they aren’t done, and various members make a point of saying so. She
doesn’t know he’s also investigating the same case she has just taken on. Employees of his died, and he means to avenge
them. He has information and skills she
needs, so she reluctantly agrees to work with him.
The time they spend together shows her that his emotions
aren’t as simple as she believed and teaches him that the blunt approach isn’t
always best. At the end of the book,
when both their lives are on the line, each would rather die than sacrifice the
other. They have become a team.
The romance picks up early in the book, and Nevada and
Rogan’s reunion is explosive. There is
considerable and consistent emotional tension, which is leavened with periodic
sexual tension, and the progression of the romance works very well. Nevada’s family, who were intriguing in the
first book, are fleshed out even more in this one, with one person developing a
potentially disturbing gift.
Overall, the story moves at a great pace. The stakes rise through the book so that the
ending is riveting. It’s also
satisfying. The only blip is that one subplot was built up to be more than its
resolution implied. I’m hoping that’s
because it will be developed further in the next book. An advantage of
continuing characters and situations is the ability to start something in one
book and move it to the fore in a later one.
I highly recommend White
Hot.
~~~~~~~~~~~
PJ, here. I read this book last week and loved it. Like Nancy, I give it an enthusiastic recommendation. I have an extra copy of White Hot for one randomly chosen person who leaves a comment before 11:00 PM, June 20. (U.S./Canada only)
BURN FOR ME is on my TBR pile so I am definitely going to start it. It looks like a great series. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Maureen. I hope you enjoy the book. The romance starts slowly in Burn for Me, but the other character and the world are engaging from the first.
DeleteI've not read her as yet - sounds good!
ReplyDeleteCatslady, I came to this from the urban fantasy Kate Daniels series, which has romantic elements threaded through the books. If you like UF, you should check those out.
DeleteIlona Andrews novels are captivating.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteThis would be a great book to start this series. Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteTraveler, I think you could start with this just fine and go back to get Burn for Me later if you wanted to.
DeleteI reread Burn for Me in anticipation of the next book and it was just as enjoyable the second time around!
ReplyDeleteI love the world in this series , and Nevada's family is wonderful.
DeleteWould love to win this copy! I plan to read Burn for Me soon as I really love Andrews' Kate Daniels series!
ReplyDeleteI love those, too, Robin!
DeleteThis series is so good! I shouldn't have read books 1 and 2 because I hate waiting for #3 LOL I hope the Andrews will continue this series after book 3.
ReplyDeleteI'm not entering the contest(INT here:) ).
Alina, I've started buying some series and holding off reading until the series, or at least that arc, is complete. But it's hard to do!
DeleteIt's excruciating, especially when they are favorite authors.
DeleteI have not read Burn for Me, but you've made a compelling case for me to add both of them to my TBR list!
ReplyDeleteKatie, you should be aware the romance doesn't start quickly in Burn for Me. I loved the world and the characters, though.
DeleteI've been waiting for this one! I enjoyed Burn for Me when it was published--quite a while back. Thanks for the post and giveaway.
ReplyDeleteIt did take a while for this one to appear, didn't it, LSUReader? I thought it was worth the wait, though.
DeleteI thought I had read one of her books, but just checked her list and realized I had not. I have heard much about her over the years, but not had an opportunity to read her.
ReplyDelete