5 stars 
 This has got to be a favorite series of mine, right next to JD Robb's In Death series, which is my obsession. Each and every I-Team book have been compelling with intricately woven plot and characters development. 
 The prologue here EASILY deserves 5+++ stars. I think to appreciate the depth of emotions in the first couple of chapters, it'd be wise to read First Strike first to see the connection between Javier and Laura. 
 Spoiler from First Strike: They met in Dubai for a whirlwind weekend of no strings attached sex. They departed hoping for more. A second chance. But that chance disintegrated when Laura was abducted by terrorists on live television. Believed her to be dead, Javier vowed to bring down the man who killed her. 
 Fast forward to 2 years, we learn Laura is indeed alive, but held in a nightmare by her captors with no escape. Until the night she heard American voices coming to capture the terrorist. Laura found her voice too and was rescued by a "tall SEAL" not knowing it was Javier. 
 Once back on American soil, Laura is still suffering with nightmares and memories of her captivity, all the while testifying to put the man responsible behind bars. But that doesn't end there. With death threats thrown against her, Laura is trying to get back to her life as normally as one can after such an ordeal but she also hold a secret that no one can find out. 
 We meet Javier again as he takes a leave of absence to recover from an attack where he lost some of his men. We get to see Nate West again as they are close friends. These friend connections bring Laura and Javier together. As they get to know each other once again, Laura slowly opens herself up, letting Javier into her secrets. With the danger forced upon Laura, Javier takes it upon himself to become her bodyguard. As the story unravels, there's twists and turns that keep you guessing who is the good guy or bad guy. 
 This is a story of survival and sacrifice, of remaking yourself when you feel like hope is gone. It's emotionally heavy, possibly the heaviest in the series, so be prepared for that when you start this one (I shed a few tears). But I assure you, once you start it, you can't put it down. 
 I love seeing all the other characters from the previous books. They make up their own family since their lives and work are so intertwined. Marc and Julian still crack me up. 
 The funniest moment though: Javier's meeting with Laura's family. 
 Pamela Clare is without a doubt my favorite romantic suspense author. 
 Steam: a sizzling 5 
 My favorite books in the series: 
 Unlawful Contact 
 Breaking Point