Series Name: Ice Breaker Cold Case, # 6
Hell. He was definitely not handling this situation with any finesse. “Cassidy, wait!”
With her hand reaching for the front door, she jerked to a stop. Her head whipped back toward him. Her gaze met his, and he saw the terror burning in her eyes. If possible, the gold had gone even darker. “How do you know my name?”
Simple. “I’m here for you.” He started to reach inside his coat.
Her terror-filled eyes widened even more. “The hell you are.” Then she yanked open the door and ran into the stormy night.
Forged From Ice is an addictive romantic thriller that I could not put down.
You can’t run from him. He will find you.
U.S. Marshal Titan Everett never loses his prey, and he always stays mission oriented. His latest mission? He’s working with a group of cold case solvers called the Ice Breakers—he’s chasing down a runaway witness, a woman who may be the key to solving a string of unsolved murders. Seems like a simple enough job. After the hell he’s seen, locating one Cassidy Jacobs, former kindergarten teacher, should be a walk in the park.
She doesn’t want to be found.
When you manage to escape from a twisted killer—who happened to be your boyfriend—you grab life by both hands and you hold on tight. You run like mad from danger, you reinvent yourself over and over, and you don’t look back. Ever. Unless, of course, the past comes barreling at you in the form of one truly massive and strong U.S. marshal.
Titan is big, dangerous, and determined to bring Cassidy back home. He also has the most incredible eyes she’s ever seen and a voice that makes her whole body ache with longing…Problematic. Very. Because the last time she fell hard for a sexy stranger, he wound up being a monster.
Home is where the nightmare waits.
Scarred and twisted by his own past, Titan never claims to be anyone’s hero. He barely talks, and charming is the last word anyone would ever associate with him. The bubbly, beautiful Cassidy is his complete opposite, and the scorching, primal attraction he feels for her catches him completely off guard as they embark on what has to be the road trip from hell.
Unfortunately, Titan isn’t the only one who has found Cassidy. She’s been running non-stop, but she just can’t seem to run far enough—or fast enough—to evade the man who wants her dead. When Titan saves her life and promises protection, she agrees to a partnership with him. He’ll protect her, and she’ll help him draw out the killer. No biggie. Not like she’s utterly and completely terrified.
But eventually, you have to stop running and start fighting.
This isn’t just another hunt for Titan. Everything has changed in his world because of Cassidy. Losing her can’t happen, but putting the man in the ground who has been terrorizing her? Absolutely on Titan’s to-do list. New Protect Cassidy and catch a killer. And when the case is closed, maybe Cassidy will want to start a new life once again…only this time, with Titan at her side.
U.S. Marshal Titan Everett is on the hunt. On the outside, Titan looks scary as the devil, and he’s well aware that he often sends small children running. But Cassidy isn’t afraid of him. Beautiful, bold, and with a spark for life that draws him close, she is unlike anyone he’s ever met before. She needs help, and she’s going to get it. Because from the first moment he sees her, Titan knows…he will move heaven and fight hell to keep her safe.
I stumbled upon this book through Kobo Plus; it came up as a recommendation. I read the synopsis, thought it sounded interesting, and downloaded it. I thought I might like it, but I didn’t expect how quickly I became obsessed with this dark and steamy world Cynthia had created. I read this book one night (staying up until the wee hours of the morning), and the following day, I downloaded all the other books in the series. Every book in this series can be read as a stand-alone. Characters from other books make appearances, but each book has its storyline. I don’t often read romance thrillers because I find that either the thriller part sucks or the romance does. It really can be a challenge to blend these two genres successfully. I am very happy that Cynthia has figured out how to combine these two genres to create a sultry edge-of-your-seat thriller.
This book has this dark cat-and-mouse feel to it. Cassidy is on the run from her ex-boyfriend, who turns out to be a twisted serial killer. She has been on the run for months and has gotten really good at hiding. Enter our hero, Titan Everett, who the Ice Breaker group has tasked to find Cassidy and bring her in as a witness in the case they are building against her ex. Now, if you are looking for a cozy thriller with a lot of warmth or lightness in the story, this book is not for you. This story is dark and gritty. There are some humorous moments sprinkled throughout the plot, but not many. This story is told from three POVs: Cassidy’s, Titan’s, and the serial killer. It was an enjoyable experience to spend time in all three character’s heads. I loved seeing what Cassidy’s ex was thinking while he stalked her and how twisted his mind was.
The story is very fast-paced, and you are kept on the edge of your seat throughout the book. For those new to the series, the Ice Breakers are a group of people who work together to help find missing people. They are the ones people go to when the police have failed. The thriller aspects of this book are well thought out, and Cynthia knows exactly where to throw in those unexpected twists and turns. Even though we know who the killer is right from the beginning, it doesn’t take away from the suspense you feel. This is because he is such an unpredictable killer that it’s hard to guess what his next move will be.
I really enjoyed Cassidy and Titan’s characters. Titan is this broken, broody alpha male who thinks he is a monster that will never be loved. The reason for this is that he is scarred both emotionally and physically to such an extreme that he thinks he’s incapable of being in a relationship and no one in their right mind would ever love him. Of course, our heroine, Cassidy, is not going to care about his scars and will be the one to break through those walls and heal his heart. But it’s Titan’s insecurities that cause the most friction and hurdles between himself and Cassidy. He is the one who is constantly putting the brakes on any relationship developing between them. He thinks Cassidy deserves more than what he can offer her. Cassidy is a great heroine for a thriller novel. She is smart, capable, and slightly bubbly. She has been through hell and back trying to escape her ex, but she hasn’t lost that will to fight. She was a great fit for Titan’s character.
The romance is spicy, and if you are a fan of road trip stories, then you are going to love this book. Things move fast between Cassidy and Titan. There is an insta-lust feel to their relationship. They fall into bed with each other in a matter of days, and they use each other as a way to help take the edge off this terrifying and stressful situation they find themselves in. There is also a bit of angst or feelings of being unworthy of Titan, creating this stop-and-go feel to their relationship. I really liked these two together. I am a sucker for an opposites attract romance, especially if it includes a broody alpha male. I liked their chemistry, and I wanted to see how their relationship would progress and how they would get to their HEA.
Forged From Ice is an addictive romance thriller that is hard to put down.
