![One Defining Second: A Romantic Thriller (Survivors' Justice Book 2) by [Roan, D.L.]](https://images-fe.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/519KRD7oQ5L._SY346_.jpg)
Title: One Defining Second
Series: Survivors' Justice
Designation: Book Two of Series, Remastered Full-Length Standalone(282 pages), NO Cliffhanger (Originally Published Title: Second Nature)
Author: D.L. Roan
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Thriller/Suspense
Reading Edition: Kindle Edition
My Rating: Five Sexy Riveting Stars*****
Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! I love, love, love this book! D.L. Roan just rocked my world with One Defining Second, the second pulse-pounding release in the Survivors' Justice Series. I had never even heard of D.L. Roan until a friend recommended a book entitled The Heart of Falcon Ridge a few months ago. I decided to check it out and so glad I did! Best decision EVER! I began reading my way through her library of published work and discovered in addition to erotic romance, she also writes romantic suspense which just happens to be favorite romance sub-genre. I adore action and adventure, addicted to mystery and suspense, and adore steamy romance but when I can find the perfect combination of every single one of those elements in one book, I'm in heaven and that's exactly what D.L. Roan has delivered with One Defining Second. I'm 65 years young and have been a passionate lover of books for 60 of those years so as you can imagine, I've read thousands and thousands of books but it's been a long time since I was so excited over a newly discovered author. Where has this woman been and why haven't I heard of her before now is beyond me! Roan is an incredibly gifted author who excels at creating fictional yet believable current day scenarios within intriguing interconnected worlds populated with strong, realistic, relatable characters who literally explode from the pages, grab your attention, engage your imagination and completely capture your heart. Although the worlds and many of the characters cross over into several of her books, they can all be read as a standalone and each have their own happy ending. I fell in love with Roan's natural, easy flowing style and suspense filled storylines. I was completely smitten and couldn't stop with Surviving Redemption, the first book of the Survivors' Justice Series; I immediately raced back to Amazon and purchased the second release in the Survivors' Justice Series, Once Defining Second. And WOW! I thought the first book was great but I loved, loved, loved the second even more! One Defining Second is a sexy, exciting, action-packed, fast-paced, exceptionally well-crafted and edited full-length standalone contemporary romance thriller filled to the brim with heart-stopping danger, pulse-pounding action, heart-wrenching drama, spine-tingling suspense, perplexing mystery, agonizing angst, mind-blowing plot twists, heartwarming romance and steamy, dreamy sex.
But as usual, I digress, so let's talk a few specifics about this story. The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with multiple perspectives, which, when done correctly, gives the reader so much more insight into each character's thoughts. Constantly changing to different points of view can be tricky for the author and exhausting for the reader if not done properly but Roan did an extraordinary job and focused primarily on the two protagonists of the story, former Deputy Director of the International Organized Crime Intel Division Dax Keller and beautiful, determined former agent Rebecca 'Red' Danes. We also get occasional secondary perspectives from the protagonists of the first book, former government assassin Grant Kendal and sex trade victim Thalia Brezlin Kendal. And we even get a quick sneak peek into the mind of the dastardly villain, billionaire philanthropist Vasilie Soren. It was RIVETING! The dialogue is intelligent, natural, well executed and flows effortlessly. I must admit, the sex trafficking premise for this story is quite controversial but one very near and dear to my heart and Roan certainly did her research for this story and did it exceptionally well. But without a doubt, my favorite component is the cast of intriguing characters. They are captivating, engaging, endearing and well developed. Our two protagonists, Dax Keller and Rebecca Danes, were both introduced as secondary characters in the first book of the series, Surviving Redemption. I wasn't sure I liked either of them until Roan gave them their own book and oh my, I became immediately smitten with this couple and their explosive relationship. There was so much more to discover about this unlikely pair of lovers. It doesn't take the reader long to learn that Dax and Rebecca's deceased brother Griff were best friends and had served in the military together in Afghanistan. And Dax had been secretly in love with Rebecca for years.... since seeing her on a Skype call with Griff while deployed in Afghanistan. Dax had promised Griff he would take care of Rebecca and make sure she was safe. Of course, it went against 'the bro code' to fall in love with his dead best friend's little sister so his love was unrequited until....well, you'll have to read the book. But let's just say, Rebecca is a fiery redhead who doesn't like the controlling, high-handed tactics of her boss Dax Keller and, boy oh boy, did she ever let him know it. She even quit her job because of him and moved to Boston. But never fear, Dax follows her and things really begin to heat up in chilly Boston! I fell in love with Rebecca's courage and determination to rescue the children who were being used as sex slaves. She was phenomenal and a perfect match for Dax. Their interaction was explosive and their sexual chemistry was so hot it sizzled! Did I like this book? No, I loved it! Roan didn't just tug at my heartstrings with this one; she literally ripped my heart right out of my chest and left me gasping for my next breath! At one point, I wanted to hide under the covers! My emotions ran the entire gambit from excited to sad to angry to disappointed to hopeful to heartbroken and finally to happy. It made me laugh! It made me cry! It made me shake my fists with indignation and outrage! It made me cringe in disbelief and horror! I was totally enthralled! And loved every single minute! I was glued to my ereader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest, the hours passing as quickly as the pages! It was magnificent! Would I recommend it? You bet, but only for adults since it does contain some steamy,dreamy sex scenes. Will I read this author again? Absolutely! Decisions, decisions...now I have to decide which of Roan's books I want to read next. lol... And finally, was I entertained? Totally! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read.
Dax Keller was determined to keep the promise he made to Griffin Danes as his buddy lay dying in his arms, no matter the cost. Griff had been more than just his best friend; they had been like brothers and he would protect Griff's sister, Rebecca Danes, even if it killed him and it just might. It had been a whole lot easier to keep her safe as long as he was her boss but the beautiful fiery redhead had quit and moved to Boston. Well, that left only one thing for him to do...quit his job and move to Boston as well. He had fallen in love with the hard-headed, flame-haired beauty years ago when he and Griff were serving together in Afghanistan but Dax had never told a soul about his feelings for Rebecca and he had no intentions of ever letting the cat out of the bag but Rebecca was being so darn reckless and was now a witness in a government case against some very dangerous people and they want her dead. Oh my! Apparently, the only way he can protect her is to reveal his presence in Boston and stay glued to her side. How can he keep her safe and not reveal his feelings for her? He can't! Buckle up, my lovelies, and get ready for a wild ride as Rebecca and Dax begin a dangerous adventure that will take them across the globe to rescue a child being held and abused by sex traffickers... but, at least, it will lead them both to love!
Product Description
A sensual, full-tilt romantic thriller by USA Today bestselling author D.L. Roan
One defining second can change a person’s life forever.
For Dax Keller, that second came with a promise he can’t possibly keep; to protect his best friend’s sister at all costs. There’s only one problem. Balancing the weight of his promise with his crushing attraction to the feisty redhead has proven to be impossible. He’s made so many mistakes, told so many lies, she curses the ground he walks on when he needs her to trust him the most.
The star witness in a federal human trafficking case, someone wants Rebecca Danes silenced, permanently. And now, the one man who’s cost her nearly everything, wants to protect her? The only person she and her misguided libido need protection from is him! She has a case to solve, a child to rescue from the clutches of a ruthless human trafficking ring, and nothing or no one—not even the demi-god of testosterone, Dax Keller—is going to stop her.
When Dax joins Rebecca on an international race to save a young boy from a brutal fate, he discovers the true impossibility of his task. Moving hell and earth to keep her out of an assassin's crosshairs will be the easy part. Earning Rebecca's forgiveness, and ultimately her heart, may kill them both.
Author Note: One Defining Second is a fast-paced, heart-pounding romantic thriller about survival. Dax and Rebecca's story takes you deep into the underworld of human trafficking and the monsters that live there are very real.
Genre: Romantic Thriller, Romantic Suspense, Crime Fiction, Action-Adventure, Organized Crime, Standalone novel with interconnected characters.
Survivors' Justice Reading Order
Surviving Redemption
One Defining Second
One defining second can change a person’s life forever.
For Dax Keller, that second came with a promise he can’t possibly keep; to protect his best friend’s sister at all costs. There’s only one problem. Balancing the weight of his promise with his crushing attraction to the feisty redhead has proven to be impossible. He’s made so many mistakes, told so many lies, she curses the ground he walks on when he needs her to trust him the most.
The star witness in a federal human trafficking case, someone wants Rebecca Danes silenced, permanently. And now, the one man who’s cost her nearly everything, wants to protect her? The only person she and her misguided libido need protection from is him! She has a case to solve, a child to rescue from the clutches of a ruthless human trafficking ring, and nothing or no one—not even the demi-god of testosterone, Dax Keller—is going to stop her.
When Dax joins Rebecca on an international race to save a young boy from a brutal fate, he discovers the true impossibility of his task. Moving hell and earth to keep her out of an assassin's crosshairs will be the easy part. Earning Rebecca's forgiveness, and ultimately her heart, may kill them both.
Author Note: One Defining Second is a fast-paced, heart-pounding romantic thriller about survival. Dax and Rebecca's story takes you deep into the underworld of human trafficking and the monsters that live there are very real.
Genre: Romantic Thriller, Romantic Suspense, Crime Fiction, Action-Adventure, Organized Crime, Standalone novel with interconnected characters.
Survivors' Justice Reading Order
Surviving Redemption
One Defining Second
About the Author
After years of schlepping for the corporate world in an endless rotation of tasteless cube farms and cold coffee, DL Roan decided to give a little attention to the sexy voices inside her head and begin anew. Whether it's menage, action-adventure, passion-filled suspense, sexy cowboys, assassins or angels, DL's novels are sure to keep you on the edge of the page reading long into the night. She loves to hear from her fans so stop by one of her many hangouts listed on her website and say hello. www.dlroan.com
