Just far too much male gaze in this one.  The hero is a leering idiot, there's a huge plot point concerning the threat of gang rape, and it just all feels distasteful.  At this point, I'm ready to think that Rachel Grant is a pen name for a man who writes pot-boilers.

Really not my speed, sadly.  I have no idea how it rates 4+ stars on Goodreads. 

Action from the “get go”, smart heroine, yummy hero, hot sex scenes, and a killer on the loose. What more could you ask for in the new romantic suspense, Cold Evidence, by Rachel Grant?

Undine Gray is a Nautical archaeologist working for the Underwater Archaeology Branch (UAB) at the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) in Washington D.C. Her father is the renowned Marine biologist, Stefan Gray. He has his own research institute and Undine grew up there. She was an expert at a very young age on Marine Biology but due to her lifestyle, she was very lonely. That all changed when Luke Sevick arrived. Luke was living his dream being on scholarship at The Institute. Due to some unfortunate miscues, Luke is forced to leave The Institute and Undine behind.

Fast forward 12 years later. Undine is working on a deep dive to investigate a submarine that went missing during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A number of things go wrong and Undine becomes the only survivor or her crew. She has to make an emergency ascent without time to decompress. Luke, former SEAL and now a Marine biologist and assigned to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Commissioned Officer Corps, is in the area and observes the disaster but also sees a diver in trouble. Pulling Undine from the water and staying with her in the hyperbolic chamber, he realizes he still holds a grudge but can’t help the attraction he feels.

That’s a very brief overview of the story with the exception of several attempts to prevent Undine diving on the wreck of the USS Wrasse.  
 
What I liked: Cold Evidence is the 6th book in Ms Grant’s Evidence series. I love romantic suspense especially when it’s done correctly. Well, correctly would be based on the reader’s expectations and when it comes to romantic suspense, I have high expectations.

I have a pretty standard routine. I usually am in bed by 10:30 at the latest but two nights in a row I stayed up reading Cold Evidence. I couldn’t find a good spot to stop. The action does not end until the very last page. Then there’s the attraction and angst between Undine and Luke. Not only the attraction but the tension in the exchanges between them. That’s another good point, the conversations between Undine and Luke are extremely well written. The by play, while full of tension and innuendos, flows easily and in some cases had me chuckling at the quick repartee between them.

And the sex…..yeah, hot. Let me just say, Undine and Luke appreciate each other’s attributes and while not wanting to get emotionally involved, aren’t afraid to indulge themselves in their desires.

I also enjoyed catching up with the previous heroines in the Evidence series. Each female lead is connected in some way to the core group. The heroines are smart, snarky in some cases, funny, and very confident in themselves.

The suspense in Cold Evidence is what kept me up at night. Ms Grant is not afraid to give answers early in the book but from that point on, you can’t figure out where the mystery and suspense is going. Believe me, while I did figure out the most obvious clues, she kept surprising me with each little reveal. There are very few authors who can fool me completely but Ms Grant is one of them. And that’s why I keep waiting for each release to gobble it up.

What I didn’t like: It might be my age or it just could be the demand by other readers today, but I do enjoy my romantic suspense with a bit less sex. Yes, I said that. I thrive on the suspense and tension part more than the sex scenes but that is just my preference.

For full disclosure….I was recently picked to be on Ms Grant’s early review team. I was provided an eARC to read and review with an honest opinion, which I just gave you. I wouldn’t have volunteered for the team if I didn’t enjoy her books and in addition, have no problem voicing my likes and dislikes.

One last thing about Ms Grant’s writing. Her research shows through each book like a beacon. I’ve learned more about archeology and marine archeology than I could say. While the basis for Cold Evidence is fiction, you can see the time spent in research to make the book as factual as possible in all other aspects.

(As usual, while Cold Evidence could be read as a standalone, why not start at the beginning with Concrete Evidence?)

Highly Recommend!!!!!

Resort wrangler Brittany Lucas was looking forward to one last summer of freedom before returning to Chicago to work for her demanding CEO father. Instead, her independence is stripped when a new ranger restricts park access while he searches for a poacher killing animals in Rocky Mountain National Park. She understands Tall, Dark, and Sexy has a job to do, but his cocky, my-way-or-the-highway authority fuels her resentment.

Ranger Joel Morgan is used to having the upper hand in all his cases, so he’s thoroughly frustrated by the beautiful, stubborn blond complicating the hell out of his investigation. The constant desire to kiss her smart mouth shut isn’t helping matters.

Sparks fly as the two fight each other for the upper hand while doing their best to resist a sizzling chemistry that refuses to be ignored. Then the stalker turns his sights on Brittany, and Joel discovers he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her—even give his own life.

I'm now to the point if I see a book with Ms Grant's named attached, I will buy it. I just bought a novella called Midnight Sun and I respect her writing so much that I bought a series she rated very highly on Goodreads!!

What I liked: Ms Grant doesn't take a chapter or two to get you hooked. In Covert Evidence, the action starts right away and it does not let up. I don't start reading a Rachel Grant book too late at night or I wouldn't sleep.

When reading a romantic suspense novel, I expect conflict, tension, attraction, miscues between the main couple and a bit of mystery to go along with the suspense. Covert Evidence includes all those attributes and more. More, you say, how can there be more? The writing is tight and clean; and you don't get distracted by plot holes or editing mistakes. 

The other thing you can tell by her writing is she has done her homework. By no means do I know a lot about archaeology but if something catches my attention in a novel, I might get on the internet to learn more. Several times I've checked different areas of archaeology mentioned in The Evidence Series on-line and the info there just added a bit to what Ms Grant was already writing about in her book. I also love the settings for her books as I love history. She includes a bit of history with the setting so as a reader, I feel involved and can picture what she's talking about.

Okay, about Covert Evidence....the main characters, Cressida Porter and Ian Boyd make a great pairing. Ian is a CIA case officer trying to follow a courier to the head of a dangerous group in the Middle East. Unknown to Cressida, she has been duped into becoming the courier. When I say duped, I don't intend to insinuate she's not smart. The opposite is more the case. But she does have some issues and Ian plays on those to get what he wants. And there's the tension, conflict and attraction all working together.

Another aspect I like about this series is I can never count on figuring out the twists the author includes. I think I have it but I only get a few pieces and not the whole story until the very end!

What I didn't like: I found Cressida to be a bit more needy than the previous heroines in the earlier books. Actually that made Covert Evidence seem more real as each heroine isn't a cardboard cut out but a character in there own right. So basically, there's nothing to not like.

I highly recommend Covert Evidence to all romantic suspense fans but start at the beginning of the series with Concrete Evidence.

Right behind Linda Howard, Rachel Grant is becoming my go to author for Romantic Suspense!!

What I liked: The action begins with the very first page. The synopsis gives a good idea about the storyline but it can't describe the tension between Isabel and Alec. Not only sexual tension but they dance around each other so much, you can also feel the distrust. I appreciated the way Ms Grant portrayed Isabel and Alec. She acknowledges the attraction but these two are far from ready to abandon their preconceived thoughts about the other. Right when you think they are on the same page, something happens to push them apart.....tension!

There are several mysteries surrounding not only the death of Isabel's brother but the abduction of Alex. No one knows who to trust which made for excellent reading. The storyline is well developed and believable especially with all the technology available today. The setting in Alaska was also something I enjoyed. I do wish there had been more time spent on the area and it's full time inhabitants but that's a minor want for me.

The secondary characters, who are all under suspicion of being "the bad guy", were pretty well developed and utilized to further the storyline.  I did figure out one part of the bad guy mystery but still Ms Grant was able to baffle me until the very end. That is key in a suspense book for me and she handled it extremely well with several surprised. 

The whole idea of Raptor kept me intrigued. It is a plausible scenario in today's world and I like how Ms Grant hooked it into a Blackwater type of business. It made me wonder if there really are compounds like Raptor all over the U. S. 

What I didn't like: You can probably tell I enjoyed Incriminating Evidence very much but in most cases of romantic suspense, I usually enjoy less sex and more turmoil. 

Overall, Incriminating Evidence was an entertaining, suspenseful read and I would highly recommend any of Ms Grant's work. It can be read as a stand alone novel but why miss the enjoyment of meeting the characters from previous works.

Highly Recommended!!!!