reviewed by
LOLA SPARKS
Tessa Novak is an investigative reporter in Denver, and she has the misfortune to stumble into a dangerous story which could make her career. A teenage girl dies by her side and Tessa thinks she knows who committed the crime. Unfortunately the man she fingers is actually an undercover FBI agent.
Julian Darcangelo isn't pleased that the reporter may have blown his cover. He wants her off the investigation, but she continues to push until she makes herself a target of the killer. The pair are forced to trust each other and as they do, they begin to fall in lust.
Tessa and Julian are perhaps perfect for each other, because they're both too beautiful to be believed. (If I have a continuing gripe with the romance genre, it's that everyone is drop dead gorgeous; can no one be average in appearance and still worthy of smokin' hot love?) Tessa's only had sex once before in her life--she didn't find it remarkable--so Julian gets to open her eyes, among other things. Improbable sex acts follow.
With a heroine who is too likely to place herself in danger even when she knows better, I found Hard Evidence more frustrating than enjoyable. Hard Evidence is book two in a romantic suspense trilogy from Clare; it follows Extreme Exposure. The third book should be out in 2007.
