At the Crossroads by Sharon Michalove Book Review

About the Book:

Max Grant is a former MI6 operative with a new life in Chicago, a promising relationship with author Cress Taylor, and a past that's about to catch up with him. Ten years ago, Max was caught in an ambush in an Istanbul alley, where most of his team died, and his testimony put a terrorist mastermind in prison. Now, the terrorist has escaped, and he's coming after Max. As Max is inexorably drawn toward confrontation, he must race to stop the mastermind before he eliminates them both. If you like travel and pulse-pounding suspense, combine with a continuing romance, you'll love At the Crossroads.

My Review:

This novel is mostly about relationship development. While there are hints of threats, there is no suspense until about two thirds of the way through the plot. The action then settles down again until another bit of suspense near the end. Most of the novel, however, consists of the day to day activities of Max and Cress as they go places and meet people. Their characters are developed well although I do feel they are a bit over drawn with action more dramatic than called for by the circumstances.

Michalove excels in description and much of this book reads like one concentrating on well crafted descriptions of travel, places, architecture, and local culture. Max is part of a cyber securities firm so we do get some interesting information about hacking and coding and uncovering the villains.

This is a novel for readers who like ones dealing mostly with travel and location descriptions. It is the second in a series and, while it reals relatively well on its own, the earlier one should be read first to fully enjoy this one.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my review of the first book in the series, At First Sight.

About the Author:

Sharon Michalove writes romantic suspense and traditional mystery as well as being a published historian. After growing up in suburban Chicago, she spent most of her life in a medium-sized university town, working as an academic professional as well as teaching history. She was married to a composer and frequently uses her knowledge of music, history, and food to enrich her novels. A hockey fan, Sharon moved back to Chicago in 2017 so she could go to Blackhawks games and spend quality time at Eataly Chicago.

Coffee and Éclair Books, 356 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)