Trace of Fever, by Lori Foster

     Okay, have you ever had one of those nights that is truly cursed? Well, I did. It's hotter than hell in Jersey, so my brilliant sisters, Jeanine, Delores, and my cousins Connie and Beverly, decided we needed a night out on the town. It's already sounding like its going to sink like the Titanic.
     My sister Lucinda and her new boyfriend are suppose to meet us at the club. They arrive, and things immediately go bad. Lucinda's new love's ex-girlfriend is there. They go at it like cats trapped in a trashcan.

     The boyfriend fires-up throws a drink in the ex's face, she attacks him. Connie, (not the sharpest pencil in the box) jumps in punching and screaming about family.  Jeanine and Delores try to hold her back, unsuccessfully. I try to walk away, but am cornered by a bouncer, because I'm, with them.
     We're all kicked out of the club. I'm so happy I brought my own car, right at that moment, I don't want anything to do with any of them, EVER AGAIN! Okay they're family so I have to, eventually.

     It's hot, and I'm thrusty from yelling at my stupid sister and dumber cousin, and decide to stop at the corner convenience store. There's no one in the store, but the clerk Omar, blasting some Middle Eastern music, uber loud. I'm at the counter, paying for my water, and some Guido comes running in waving a gun.  This idiot starts yelling at me, to lay on the floor. Yeah, right I'm wearing a dress that cost me a weeks worth of pay. I'm not laying on the scrunchy sticky floor, with gum from the 60's still stuck to it. No way, not in this dress! When I looked into the eyes of the robber, hey, I recognized his hazel eyes, through the black mask. That sucker had to be hot! No one but- HEY, Alphonso Felingerio (besides the females of my family) could be that stupid. I know Alphonso as my, try to forget with everything in my soul, senior prom date!

     In true Russo loudness, blurted out, "Hey is that you Al!? What are you crazy! I'm not laying on the floor! This is the first time I wore this dress! Gees you've really lost all your marbles." Which honestly there wasn't many to loose, but he's managed to loose what he did have.

    With that, Al smartened up and ran for the door, but not before Omar pulled a shot gun and fired off a round. My ears are still ringing. The front window shattered, as Omar screamed something unidentifiable and fired another shot. I dove behind the condom display, (more afraid of Omar then an Alphonso), every time the gun went off , Omar was knocked right into the cigarette case. His shots were going wild. He also took out a Sponge Bob pinata, which rained little yellow and brown pieces of paper down on me. Then who should appear, and apprehended stupid Al outside as he ran out the door, Firemen Frank. It was pretty cool. He tackled Al, who is a little skinny dude. Firemen Frank had him kissing the pavement. Yeah, take that for demanding I lay on the floor, jerk.

     Not sure, what I saw in Al ten years ago, but it wasn't a robber. To be honest, I didn't see much, but I was desperate to go the prom, to make my ex-boyfriend jealous, which didn't work.

     Firemen Frank, held him down with one hand. Essere tuttavia il mio cuore di botte!

    To make a long story short, the cops arrived, took statements, Al the idiot was hauled off to jail, and Firemen Frank followed me home. He walked me to my door, made sure I was inside, and-said good night, and left. I do mean turned his back and walked away. Maybe he's gay, or doesn't like green short dresses. I didn't do all the make-up and big hair like the rest  Russo's. I was stylish, no burnt cannoli look. Men I don't understand them. Why didn't he at least ask for my phone number. Maybe he's married? No, my cousin knows him, says no girlfriend, no wife. Maybe he's gay. Just my luck, another great guy, drifting to the other side of the tracks.

     Oh, but I digress, why did I pick this book to read after the night from hell, the title it was hot and Jersey is hot, and the guy on the front was hot, sort-of and I kid-you-not, hunk-of-the-month, Firemen Frank.

     Apparently, this is the second book in a series. Just my luck, always a dollar short and day late with these books, but I like Trace as a undercover cop and hunky dude. He's out to get justice for women who are sold into modern slavery. My kind of guy. His sister was kidnapped at some point in the first book to be sold. But Trace was a bit possessive of the heroine, Priscilla. Not sure I like that, at all.  Possessive men, give me a rash.

    There was a lot of sexual tension between Trace and Priscilla, (didn't like that name), I understand why 'Priss' went after the man who is her biological father, but she seemed a bit weak. That was consistent with her sheltered up bringing. Her mother had been held captive for sometime, abused and raped, and most definitely was protecting her daughter from anything like that happening to her. Which is true to any mom, they want something better for their children. My half Italian and half Irish mom would have taken the bad guy's family jewels and ground them up to feed to the pigeons.

     One of the best characters in the book was Helen, the evil guy's, girlfriend. She jumped off the page, or Kindle for me. She is really demented, and when she's on the page, it's does really turn into a page turner, to see what "Hel" will do next.

     I won't give the ending away..But there is a lot of sexual tension between Trace and Priss, (really don't like that name).  If you're looking for a hot read, after you spend two minutes with a hot guy, on a hot night from hell. This is the one.

I give it a #7, Bitch'n enough to read in the broom closet at work, which I did on my break to finish it.

Vederla sul retro!