Rush

Not only did Jessica and Quaid work together as firefighters, they were married and each other's soul mates. But after a horrifying fire and explosion 5 years ago, Quaid lost his life and Jessica lost the love of her life, the light in her life. The team Jessica worked with disbanded and everyone moved onto other things. Jessica now works for a private lobby firm, but she feels so empty inside even 5 years later without Quaid.

There was always something suspicious about the last fire they all worked. There were chemicals involved that "...poisoned the entire team and left them all with bizarre paranormal abilities." It also gives them shadows...people who are always watching. When another explosion eerily similar to the one 5 years ago happens at a government facility called "The Castle", it sets up a series of events that will once again change Jessica's life forever.

When members of her former team show up after rescuing one prisoner (Cash), claiming a prisoner called simply "Q" might be Quaid, Jessica refuses to believe it could be possible. She has been to hell and back since the explosion, and has no desire to get her hopes up only to visit there again. But stranger than usual things are happening and soon Jessica is on a rescue mission to rescue "Q" with the rest of her former team. Whether he's Quaid or not, there is something about the man they call "Q" that calls to someplace deep inside of her.

"Q" has no recollection of his past or who he really is. He has been tortured, isolated, and used as a human experiment for the last 5 years. When he is rescued, he doesn't know who to trust...or what's real and what's not real. He has seen Jessica in his dreams, and often she has brought him comfort. Now that she's here in person, he will not let her go. While "Q" and the rest of the team discover secrets and who he really is, they must be very careful. Because someone else wants "Q" back...at any cost.

As Jessica gets to know "Q", they also are in a race against time to out secrets and corrupt politicians, and save "Q" and Cash from a certain death.

Rush is a fast paced thrilling adventure that shows you a world you can only hope doesn't really exist! At times I was anxious to keep reading, but at the same time wanting to close the book for a while, scared of what was to come! The romantic aspect of Rush takes a back seat to all the suspenseful action, but is an integral part of Rush. Jessica and "Q" discover who each other are in today's world, and have to put the past where it belongs. Will "Q" survive the chase to be with the one woman he's always dreamed of?

Rush is very well written, and will captivate you from the start...having you wondering - what could possibly come next? I have not read the other books in this series so I did find keeping all the characters straight a little bit confusing at times, but I would still say you don't have to read the first two books to be entranced by Rush...I do think it would add to the rush though! I'm looking forward to seeing where Joan takes us next!

5/5 stars