Communication expert Jina Modell is assumed dead when her base is attacked, but her team leader, a crusty soldier in love, goes after her when he learns she escaped. With a 100,000-copy first printing.

Communications tech expert Jina Modell absolutely loves her cool "dark ops" job taking down terrorists from the safety of her Washington, DC, office, and the last place she expects to end up is in the field. But Jina's boss is experimenting with embedding drone operators into the action teams, and when her skills (assessed covertly via video games in the break room!) land her at the top of the list, Jina finds herself tossed into an accelerated program of physical training and assigned to a bunch of crack agents who aren't happy about having to deal with a geek—no less a woman. Quickly tagged with the annoying moniker "Babe," Jina is resolved to succeed, only she doesn't count on the attraction that flares between her and the no-nonsense team leader Levi "Ace" Butcher. A bloody mission, a vengeful traitor, and stunning, vivid descriptions (a desperate slog through the desert and Jina's parachute jumps are memorable) add grim realism to this absorbing romance. VERDICT A sassy heroine with grit and determination to match and a tough, battle-hardened hero struggle against impossible odds in a heart-pounding adventure that doesn't let up until the very end. Howard (Troublemaker) lives in Alabama. [See Prepub Alert, 10/15/17.]

Howard (Troublemaker) delivers an exciting standalone romantic thriller, featuring nuanced characters in extraordinary circumstances who still feel relatable and warm. Jina Modell has a desk job in communications for a secret government agency; she's surprised to be transferred to a black-ops group that needs someone to run its comms. Jina's never been a quitter, but the training that team leader Levi Butcher puts her through makes her reconsider whether she wants this exciting new gig. Almost half the book covers her intense workouts and long runs while she learns to use a high-tech drone and proves herself a tough, capable member of Levi's team. As the team travels the world to conduct surveillance and complete missions, she regrets that she can't act on the intense attraction drawing her and Levi together. Howard skillfully delays Levi and Levi and Jina's coming together until it feels like a well-deserved payoff, using the time to show relationships between the close-knit crew, who work seamlessly together. A subplot involving a crooked congresswoman is barely needed. (Mar.)