Oh…my! Lori Foster has done it again with the second book in her Men Who Walk The Edge of Honor series, Trace of Fever. By done it again, I mean she has crafted another sexy adventure sure to keep you on the edge of your seat with your heart beating madly. If not from the exciting, well written thriller then from the tough as nails hero who oozes sex like a jelly filled donut.

I absolutely adore the alpha males in this series. They literally leap right off the page starting with the jaw dropping, gorgeous hunks portrayed on the cover to the teasing banter and toe curling love scenes inside.

As I read the debut novel in this series, When You Dare, I felt a few scenes in the second half were unnecessary and slowed the pace of the story. It was a good read, just not as polished as I would  have liked.

I saw none of that with Trace of Fever. The story moves along at a fast pace, the characters are well developed, the plot has a few unpredictable surprises, and the touches of humor are planted at just the right places. And who can resist Ms. Foster’s use of adorable animals to add emotional depth to her characters?

Undercover mercenary Trace Rivers is a strong hero, paired perfectly with sassy heroine, Priscilla “Priss” Patterson. Together they work to bring down a corrupt businessman’s human trafficking operation while taunting the raw passion flaring between them. I especially liked the despicable, campy villainess, “Hell” who is determined to enjoy Trace’s special “talents” - with or without his approval. Priss does an excellent job of stepping up to the plate to protect her man.

The fun, sexy banter between the main characters is like watching a round of tennis between well matched players. But it doesn’t stop there. Ms. Foster infuses the story with an interesting supporting cast, a talent she displayed so well in the first novel. She subtly introduces the main characters in the next title, offering enticing glimpses to whet the reader’s appetite and leave them salivating for more.

While When You Dare offered characters that were a bit more emotionally fragile, Trace of Fever has the kind of spunky attitude that I find refreshing. And with the introduction of borderline incorrigible hunk, Jackson, the obvious hero in the next book of the series, I know I’ll be standing in line to read his story.

I’m sure I’ll see you there.

~ Deb