I first read Tal Bauer when his book “Gravity” was recommended to me by one of my IG mutuals with a good emphasis on low angst , high fluff and oh boy it did deliver on both accounts. But of the three books I have read by Tal Bauer, I liked this bodyguard romance more. And the reason I felt it works for me is because of the thriller aspect of the plot.

President Brennan Walker captivated me from the moment I walked into his Oval Office.

He’s a mystery I’m determined to unlock. I don’t know what’s hiding inside Brennan’s gaze when he looks my way, or why black lightning keeps crashing between us. He’s a storm at midnight, a dark moon rising, trouble on the horizon.

I’m on the verge of sliding into discoveries and truths that maybe I’m not ready for.

I’ve never been with a man, but now? I’m dreaming about his bleu clair eyes and wondering what it would feel like if his lips touched mine. There’s something here, something between us, like the oxygen we’re breathing is igniting before each inhale.

But he’s the president. I’m his Secret Service agent. He’s the job.

He’s forbidden.

If we cross this line, Brennan could lose everything.

The story is written in a dual timeline format which can take some time getting a hang of but I felt it was a clever way to keep the romance chapters of the past, different from the “kidnapping of the President” plot unfolding in the present.

There are people who should not come together in this world. Reality quakes too strongly beneath the force of their love.

The relationship progressed at a believable pace for these men who at times both tried to keep each other away , sometimes to protect themselves , but mostly to protect the other from the aftermath. Tal writes beautifully about the duty bound men and the loneliness that they walk with. The texts , the conversations and the deeping bond not just focuses on the romance but builds both the characters in the mind of the readers. One could easily follow their growth , the ideology and the framework they both operated within. Even the secondary characters felt relatable to be and their dynamics was a good mix to the story.

Contrary to what people say about the second lead feelings and the book giving a mixed vibe about the intensity of Reese’s feelings , I felt the distraction and leaning on someone’s feelings at times is quite natural and it was handled well.

It’s one of those books where I was interested in romance but stayed for the mystery part. The climax scene was written well , but I would say the reason & man behind the kidnapping was not justified reasonably. So the ending fell flat for this book.

Fair warning though, his secret service stories feel a little same , so perhaps give a little break on reading two of his books back to back. But pick something else and I am sure Tal Bauer will definitely make you swoon for one of the leads for sure.

Rating- 3.5 out of 5