Reviewed by Amber
TITLE: Love in the Line of Fire
AUTHOR: Michael Murphy
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 200 pages
RELEASE DATE: January 23rd, 2017
BLURB:
Agent Jonah Pratt heads the Secret Service team guarding the President’s husband. When a routine day turns into a dangerous assassination attempt, the stranger who dives into the melee and takes down the assassin complicates the situation, sparking Jonah’s anger.
Just back from multiple tours of duty in Iraq, Benji hides the fact that he brought the war home with him and that it continues to haunt him. His actions in stopping the would-be assassin are more instinct than strategy. And his first conversation with a furious Jonah doesn’t end well.
Losing a member of his team turns Jonah’s world upside down. And if Benji seems to know exactly what Jonah is experiencing, it’s because he went through the same thing in combat. Jonah’s work consumes him, leaving little room in his life for anything else, and Benji focuses on his studies, working to keep his nightmares at bay. But when they get together, Jonah and Benji recognize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for love and happiness—one worth fighting for.
REVIEW:
***While this is not marked as a sequel this story has several characters from The President’s Husband. I do feel this can be read as a standalone but I think it helped to know a bit more of Jonah’s background especially in regards to his job. Furthermore, with that said, Michael Murphy has another book that I’ve read and LOVED called Evac with a military vet named Benji, NOT to be confused with this Benji, two different people with the same name and similar military experience. My brain kept going back and forth so just be forewarned on those aspects. Let’s get to this book shall we….?
Love in the Line of Fire was undoubtedly a big disappointment for me. The first chapter with the action was great. I was totally into it then things just got incredibly unbelievable. I found myself scratching my head several times because I just didn’t get it. I also found Benji not likeable. He’s arrogant to a fault with an abrasive personality then BOOM it was like Jonah and Benji completely switched personalities. The back and forth, the erratic behavior, and the repetition on dialogue just killed this story for me.
Jonah lives for his job in the Secret Service. Earning the detail of guarding the President’s Husband Jonah acknowledges that this is hard work paid off. On a routine transport there’s an assassination attempt that throws Benji in Jonah’s path.
To say there initial meeting was rocky is an understatement.
Strangely enough a connection was made and the real weirdness of the story starts to unfold. I don’t want to give anything away but Jonah seeks out Benji and the two end up spending time together, and an attraction blossoms.
Benji suffers from PTSD so there are some psychological things that transpire. Jonah is closeted so there’s the whole secret relationship element. The assassination attempts were also strange. I get the need for action but this all seem forced.
I don’t know. This was just not for me.
Great cover though!
RATING: 
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