ALICIA'S AWAKENING - Kacey Hammell
La Grande Mort
In the Arms of the Law, Book 2
Venus Press - www.venuspress.com
ISBN: 1-59836-379-4
October 2006
Erotic Romantic Suspense
Rating: Aphrodite (Moderately Erotic)

Trenton, New Jersey - Present Day

Detective Alicia Knowles hasn't been the same since her attack a while back.  When she and her partner, Ethan James, arrive on the murder scene, things go downhill for Alicia.  Seeing the deceased victim naked and tied up, Alicia has flashbacks of her own attack.  She violates crime scene procedure and begs Ethan to help her cover the victim and put her in the car.  Alicia has no idea that she's in trouble for her actions until the Chief of Police, Coleman Douglass, comes to see her.  Alicia still isn't handling her feelings for Cole very well after the night two years ago when she found heaven in his arms.  However, love, family, and all that jazz, isn't for her, so she walked away, never expecting Cole to replace her father as Chief of Police.  When he delivers the news that she's suspended from duty, Alicia knows it's the right decision but she doesn't have to like it.

Coleman Douglass has secretly wanted Alicia Knowles since their night together two years ago.  That night he found the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.  Unfortunately, she left while he slept.  Cole didn't know how to find her because they'd only exchanged first names and nothing more.  Finally he finds her and when the job opening for Chief of Police for her precinct comes available, Cole jumps on it so he can be close to Alicia and hopefully rekindle their affair.  Of course, Cole is looking for happily-ever-after, so he's got his work cut out for him where Alicia is concerned.  The latest incident with her losing it at a crime scene is the final straw.  Cole has no choice but to suspend her and tell her to seek professional help before she can return to the job.  He's strong and takes her verbal abuse, but inside, Cole wants to take her in his arms and love her.  Not going to happen right now, that's for sure.

When another woman is attacked by the same man who killed the other woman, Alicia unofficially works on the case.  Why?  Because the latest victim is her best friend, Hannah, and if Alicia had been thinking clearly that night she could have caught the perp and prevented Hannah's attack.  Alicia is shocked when she arrives at the hospital to find that there's a waiting room full of family there for Hannah and one of them is Cole.  Hannah said she didn't have any family close by.  The biggest surprise of all though, is learning that Hannah is Cole's baby sister.  Oh god!  Hannah knows how Alicia really feels about Cole.  Will she tell him?

ISABELLA’S ILLUSIONS, the first book in the exciting series, In the Arms of the Law, captured my attention and I couldn't wait for the second book.  Well, ALICIA'S AWAKENING is here and damn it’s good!  Once I began reading it, I couldn't put it down.  I devoured every word, every nuance, every sigh, and read it again to make sure I hadn't missed anything.  If you read ISABELLA'S ILLUSIONS, you remember Alicia and what happened to her.  Alicia suffered at the hands of a madman and everyone thought she would bounce back and be okay.  Unfortunately, that doesn't happen.  Alicia is a strong woman, but her confidence in herself and her job is shattered and she doesn't know if she will ever regain it.  Cole is a wonderful hero.  When his parents died, Cole took over the care and well-being of his two brothers, Geoff and Nathan, and their sister, Hannah.  Overprotective to a fault but with a loving heart, Cole is perfect for Alicia, if she'll only give him a chance.  The fireworks between Cole and Alicia are evident to everyone within standing distance.  Sexual tension oozes from their pores and when they finally make love, it's just as magical and meaningful as the first time two years ago.

Secondary characters who play an important role in solving the case and in Cole and Alicia's relationship are Cole's brother, Geoff, an FBI agent; Hannah, who knows all about Cole and Alicia's night years before but who's kept their secret close to her heart, Alicia's partner, Ethan James, and of course Alicia's cousin, Isabella, and her lover Brady Jacobs.

Kacey Hammell continues her exciting series with ALICIA'S AWAKENING and does an excellent job of entertaining and enticing the reader.  Her in-depth characterization, suspense-filled plot, ability to establish a deep emotional connection and the right amount of steamy sex make ALICIA’S AWAKENING a definite keeper.  Because of this, I happily award Ms. Hammell's latest with RRT Erotic's highest honor, La Grande Mort.  Congratulations Ms. Hammell on a job well done and an award well-deserved.

Sinclair Reid