Deceiving the Protector by Dee Tenorio
Carina Press (August 2011)
ebook: $5.99 (88,000 words)
ISBN: 9781426892059
Favorite Lines: “He touched you.” He pounded her into the mud again, punctuating his words with violence. “No one touches what’s mine!” (p. 38, egalley)
After a series of murders is discovered along the trail of the Shifter Underground, wolf soldier Jensen Tate is assigned to find and protect a missing stray. But Lia Crawford doesn’t seem to want his protection. When she eludes his watch and returns with mysterious injuries, Tate knows she’s hiding something. To discover her secrets, Tate will have to win her trust…and get closer to the woman he thinks may be his mate.
Lia has reasons to keep her distance. The killer is haunting her steps, determined to claim her. He will come after them both if he sees how drawn she is to Tate, though it becomes increasingly difficult to deny her attraction to him. Protecting Tate is vital—but will her deception cost her his love?
Deceiving the Protector is book two in Dee Tenorio’s Resurrection series about shifters trying to survive in a world where humans know of their existence. I did not read the first book, Tempting the Enemy, and had no problems reading the story.
I felt so bad for Lia through almost the entire story. That girl had it bad. From the madman intent on torturing her to the emotional loss that tagged her, I wanted just one thing good to happen to her. As she dreaded interactions, I dreaded them. I wanted her to clue Jensen in, but understood why she could not. Her secret keeping still made me grit my teeth because I wondered how many lives would be lost before she sought help.
"I am no one."
Jensen is a walking contradiction. He’s all calm on the outside but full of seriousness and turmoil inside. He is also a high-ranking member of his pack and a strong, determined man. He’s a great teacher and a patient man. I really liked him. He is a worthy mate for Lia.
The killer is a sadistic monster. He isn’t a rapist, but he thrives on injuring others especially Lia. He exerts unconditional control over her until Jensen enters the picture. He is one scary sucka. I flashed to Ian Moore, aka I am no one guy on CSI Las Vegas. Scary and intimidating as hell.
It wasn’t until the end of the book when characters from book one appeared that I began to wonder if I should have read the first book in the series. I knew who the characters were from the bits and pieces given in the story, but I didn’t know them like I would have had I read book one. I also took an immediate dislike for book one’s heroine, Jade. She came across as a total bitch. I think people who’ve read Tempting the Enemy might feel different.
In the end, I got a kick out of Deceiving the Protector. I never knew when the killer was going to show his face and that suspense about killed me. It was delicious. I felt the interest between the main characters build while they traveled a dangerous road wondering if salvation lay at the end. It worked well. I look forward to reading more from Tenorio.
Scooper Speaks 