Review SURRENDER by Jean Brashear

Title: Surrender
Author: Jean Brashear
Source: Requested review
Genre: Paranormal romance

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Newly-minted Santa Fe police detective Justine “Jace” Carroll finds herself enmeshed in what began as a simple death of a drifter that takes labyrinthine twists, drawing her deeper into a world of shifting realities. At the center of the tangled knot is the mesmerizing and mysterious Dante Sabanne, a sexy, powerful, wealthy recluse whose involvement with ancient poisons, mystical lore, exotic sexual practices and unusual weaponry makes him by turns a crucial expert witness, a devastating lover…and possibly the man behind a cult whose profane rituals have turned from depraved to deadly. 

The Jace who thought she knew exactly who she was and what she wanted becomes both pawn and queen in a battle between the dark and the light. As she seeks to fulfill her duty to protect the innocent, an ancient amulet with healing powers is the battleground on which she and others may die if she makes the wrong choice between the evidence before her eyes and the yearnings of a heart she is no longer sure she can trust. 

A scorching tale of suspense, passion and magic—never before published—from USAToday bestselling author Jean Brashear 

“Jean Brashear has that ‘it’ factor. She is an incredibly talented writer who can hit every note with enough clarity to bring the reader tears, laughter or just, ‘Oh, my, this is an amazing story.’” ~New York Times Bestselling author Stella Cameron 

“Sizzles with sensuality and suspense from beginning to end!” ~New York Times Bestselling author Sharon Sala 

“Jean Brashear writes with warmth and emotional truth. The depth of her understanding of human nature marks her as a writer to watch.” ~New York Times Bestselling author Debbie Macomber

This is a great romantic suspense with emphasis on the romance. Dante Sabanne is a complicated mystery that is tied a little to closely to Justine "Jace" Carroll's first big case for her liking. When Jace is given the run of her first case involving a homeless man it seems simple enough that this death is non-suspicious; to everyone except for Jace that is. To her something doesn't feel right about that. When a second victim shows up dead under similar circumstances she knows she is on to something. After a little digging and some odd blood work results, it looks like Dante Sabanne, the well known expert on poisons and toxins, is her next stop to solving the case. But Jace isn't prepared for how deep she will have to go into Dante's dark world to find her answers. 
From the first time they meet they are drawn to each other, but Jace is overwhelmed by Dante and his seductiveness. She doesn't understand why she feels pulled toward him by such an unimaginable force and when they touch she is shaken up beyond words. For someone like Jace, that learned not to trust or rely on anyone from a young age, this a big problem. It is nearly impossible for her to grasp onto or accept why it feels so natural and compelling to surrender herself completely to Dante without knowing him. Dante, on the other hand, completely understands and embraces it. The problem for Dante is whether he can get Jace to accept her part in his world in time to save it and those relying on him. If not she could become a bigger problem. 
This story has so many twist and turns that I found myself wanting to read ahead just to know who I could trust. The sexy mysterious Dante is by far the story stealer, but will he be the man to break down Jace's walls? To show her it's okay to trust? Or is he using their sexual attraction for his own personal motives, against Jace? As soon as I felt I knew which way the story was going everything suddenly changed and once again I had more question that I couldn't read fast enough to find out the answers to. 
Wow! Jean Brashear knows how to write suspense and my, my, does she know how to create sexual tension that is off the charts! The scene in the nightclub? Well let's just say you'll have to read it to enjoy it!! I'll say no more about that! 
I definitely recommend Surrender for anyone that likes a suspenseful romance with a suspenseful story-line intertwined. I can't wait to read what's next from this author.