Review: Blood & Lace by Trinity Scott

Blood & Lace (A Dark Net Novel, #1) by Trinity Scott
Release Date: March 26, 2018
Publisher: Pocket Star
Genre: Adult, Romance
Source: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Add to Goodreads!
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

A Boston crime reporter teams up with a hot FBI agent to find her missing sister but the closer they work together, the harder it becomes to keep their relationship strictly professional in this steamy and suspenseful romance.

Chloe Sterling needs a break. A relentless crime reporter for The Boston Times, she’s dedicated her entire life to the pursuit of the truth no matter the cost. But when she gets suspended for bending the rules one time too many, she decides to take a much-needed vacation and visit her twin sister Eden in Los Angeles.

But when Chloe arrives and finds her sister missing, her reporter’s intuition kicks in. Although local law enforcement believes she’s run off with an ex-boyfriend, Chloe knows better: something is seriously wrong and if the cops aren’t going to find Eden, Chloe’s going to do it herself.

That’s when Special Agent Gage Pierce steps in.

A programmer who singlehandedly stopped the largest human trafficking ring known to date, Gage’s expertise is just what Chloe needs to track down her sister. But since he plays the strong and silent type, Chloe finds herself putting just as much effort into cracking him as she does into cracking the case. As the two work together and get closer to finding Eden, their feelings for each other intensify. With the clock ticking and time running out, will Chloe and Gage be able to rescue Eden in time and also continue their blossoming affair? Or is it lights out forever?

Review:

I've been dying to read Blood & Lace ever since I read the synopsis. It was giving me major Criminal Minds vibes, and that's something I can never resist. 

The result? Intense, dark, and romantic, Blood & Lace delivered the exciting thriller I had anticipated. 

What I Liked: 

1. The Mystery - As soon as Chloe arrives in LA, you can tell that something is amiss. There's a definite chill in the air, a sense of eeriness that quickly envelopes you. Chloe soon discovers that her sister is missing and she knows deep down it's not by choice. There had to have been foul play, there's no question about it. The only problem? No one will believe her. Trinity delivered a twisty, heart stopping mystery here. There were so many times that I thought I had everything figured out only to be proven wrong. I also enjoyed that we were in the dark just as much as Chloe was. She had no idea what her sister had been up to - that she had been turning to work outside of modeling - so to uncover those clues and secrets right along with her was exciting to say the least. 

2. The Romance - There's attraction in the air as soon Chloe and Gage meet; however, both know that it isn't the time or the place for it. I enjoyed the will-they-or-won't they aspect of their relationship. There were so many times I thought they would finally give in, finally take that one last step; however, even though it took some time and a heck of a lot frustration on their part, I enjoyed the build up. I liked seeing them swift from unlikely partners to friends to something more. It added an extra layer to their relationship. 

3. The Number of Suspects - It seemed like everywhere Chloe and Gage turned their was a new shady person to be found. I found the suspects to be interesting. For instance, the promiscuous photographer? Did he truly have a quick, no-feelings-hurt fling with Chloe's sister? Or was there more drama to be found? Or the producer...he seemed to have a motive as well. 

4. The Characters - Chloe and Gage were easy to like. Chloe was calm and cautious yet she had an intense amount of determination to her. My heart broke for her the longer her sister went missing. You could tell it was eating her up, especially knowing that there had to be foul play involved, and I also liked that Trinity took us through the many emotions of a loved one's disappearance. The dread, the questioning, the regret - all were expressed and greatly added to the narrative. Gage, on the other hand, is the reluctant good guy. He knows he should help Chloe, but he also feels that getting too close to her will cause him nothing but trouble. I loved how protective he was of Chloe, but I also liked that he gave her space, allowing her to make her own choices as long as they weren't too dangerous. 

What I Didn't Like 

1. Mixed Pacing - Occasionally this book lost its steam. It would be going good for a while, and then suddenly, it would become slightly boring. Usually, it recovered quickly, but there were certain times where I came close to losing interest. 

2. The Ending - There was A LOT going on in that last chapter. I knew that it was setting up for the next book, but at the same time I was wishing it would slow down a little bit. There wasn't a lot of time to process one big revelation before the next one was dropped. 

Overall, Blood & Lace is perfect for fans of romantic suspense. I look forward to seeing what Trinity has in store for us next. 

3.5 stars!!