Cutting Loose-Tara Janzen

Cutting Loose
Tara Janzen
Dell, Jan 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780440243854

For the past eight years he was undercover as an El Salvadoran drug lord Alejandro Campos; but that scenario is over and CIA operative Zachary Prade is back at Langley. On his first day back he amusingly thinks that this is the first time in his CIA career that he is going through the front door although he wonders why they yanked him now even if the sh*t hit the fan three weeks ago and why a body bag containing an ex marine is in the meeting with his superiors. Zach knows how everything went wrong on the last CIA operation but he and another operative contained the storm from being a type 5 hurricane and that he saved the life of schoolteacher and video maker Lily Robbins in El Salvador.

The CIA, Zach’s former associates and a guerilla group want her video that apparently contains the key to a computer file with plenty of useful data for whoever possesses it especially America’s enemies. Zach’s stateside assignment is to keep Lily safe while bringing the key to Langley. Everyone seems to be converging in Albuquerque.

Tara Janzen’s latest wild romantic suspense thriller is fast-paced, but owned by the hero, who struggles to readjust to being Zach instead of Campos. As he falls in love with the woman he vows to protect, he believes he is unworthy because he did some horrific things while undercover; adding to the drama is she assumes he is a drug lord or at best an El Salvadoran agent, but soon realizes just like in Central America she must trust him to survive. Although sex while on a perilous run for your life even in remote Paysen, New Mexico, population 28 max, seems wrong, fans will appreciate this superb CIA caper.

Harriet Klausner