Cover Me by Margaret Watson

Rating: 5 Stars
Genre: Romance
Author: Margaret Watson Website  :: Facebook :: Goodreads
Series: The Donovan Family #5
Publication Date: April 28, 2015

Summary

Chicago cop Brendan Donovan loves the adrenaline rush of his role on a tactical team. So when he's assigned to an undercover job to ferret out the supplier of a new and deadly sex drug, he's thrilled. His partner is Cilla Marini, a detective he'd met recently during a traffic stop. He's intrigued by Cilla, but his sister told him that Cilla doesn't date cops. Which is exactly what they have to pretend to do. Brendan loves a challenge. 

Cilla is shocked to find out that Brendan is her mystery partner. After an incident that forced her to transfer from her district and isolated her from her fellow cops, Cilla knows relationships with cops are off the table. But she's spent far too much time thinking about Brendan since he pulled her over for speeding. Now, not only are they working together, they have to pose as a couple to find the source of the sex drug that's already killed several men. 

As the action heats up, Cilla and Brendan don't have to pretend they want each other. But when secrets put them both in danger, will they have each other's back? Or will their quarry divide and conquer them before they can find their way to happily ever after? 

When Margaret Watson reached out to me to review Cover Me, I was more than happy to jump back into my love of reading and enjoyment of reviewing after having my first child. I swear, I've been reading so many parenting books and on Mommy Blogs by brain NEEDED this like my cup needs another refill of coffee. Although I never read books out of order, I didn't do any research other than reading the blurb emailed to me and easily decided that Cover Me was exactly what I needed to get over my new Mama reading slump.

Brendan is a super hot alpha cop, who, of course, happens to have a soft heart. He is dripping with seduction and humor but is also intelligent, obviously good at his job and very direct. I enjoyed Brendan's character in this story - the way his mind worked and the honesty in his communication. He was the perfect combination of smoldering yum (yup, that's now verb - he's a "yum") while still maintaining a sense of realness that most characters are unable to achieve. I loved his undercover job too! Just made him that much more well-rounded.

Cilla is a strong character. She is in "charge" of it all - family, job, self. However, this is also her biggest struggle. Maintaining her control in an environment that feels so out of her control. Her libido and heart start to tangle together with a police officer who has the worst reputation of them all. She's not kidding herself, she isn't trying to "change" him, she just needs to separate church and state here...and if church is Brendan then I may want to start attending those sermons affective immediately! Cilla attended, attempted to abstain, and then went back...a few times.

I read this book in two sittings. It was an easy-to-follow read with characters who were relatable and a storyline that remained interesting to the end. The relationship building was appropriate, albeit frustrating in moments when Cilla refused the direct chemistry however that did not deter nor last long in the story line which I appreciated. The subplots were equally entertaining! I had no idea that I was reading the 5th in a series and Cover Me was absolutely a stand alone book. Ultimately, I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone wanting a sexy, dynamic read that is a consistent page turner. I am so thankful that Margaret popped my after-birth novel-loving cherry. 

*I received this book from the author in return for my honest review.