Book Review - Fool Me Once by Jessica Joy

There are books out there that make me so glad I decided to schedule regular reading time into my work week. Jessica Joy's Fool Me Once is one of those books!

A romantic suspense novel that is heavy on both romance and suspense, this story kept me turning the pages from the first to the last.

Toni Greer wakes up in a hospital room not knowing who she is or how she got there...and she's not alone. Blair Kierstead and his friend, Drew, had been keeping her company since the car accident that stole her memories. All Blair can tell her is that she was coming to see him--but even he doesn't know why.

Blair convinces Toni to come home with him, neglecting to mention that Drew is and Blair used to be an undercover FBI agent whose team was led into an ambush two years ago and they believe Toni betrayed them and is responsible for the deaths of their teammates.

Toni struggles to recreate her past. Blair isn't much help and she's not sure why. The excuse that the doctor wants her memories to come back on their own doesn't hold water for her. There has to be more to it--but what?

Blair is having struggles of his own. He can't figure out why Toni is so different since the last time he saw her--she loves Christmas and cooking and her family. It doesn't help that he finds himself attracted to her. She's the monster who caused the deaths of his teammates and almost cost him his life as well. He shouldn't have romantic feelings for her.

But he does, and Toni feels the same way about him, no matter how many times they try to deny it.

As Toni's memories come back, she can't believe the life she used to live. It all seems so foreign to her. But once Toni and Blair give into their feelings for each other, things finally start to make sense.

And then the danger for Toni becomes even more real. Word on the street for weeks has been that Toni's ex-lover is out searching for her. Maybe he wants her dead because of what she knows about him and his operations.

Blair and Toni return to the scene of one of her most vivid and frightening memories to try and piece together what happened the night of the car accident and to figure out if someone is really trying to kill her.

This novel drew me in so quickly and deeply that I had to keep turning the pages. Each chapter ended with such a climax that all I wanted to do was continue reading until the last word was read. So carefully woven in was the backstory that it did not have a chance to dull the action. In only one spot did I know exactly what would come next, but even that could not take away from my desire to keep reading. I really wanted to know if these characters made it to their happily ever after.

Jessica Joy's Fool Me Once is sexy, gripping, and action packed. A true romantic suspense novel that will attract a wide audience and leave them clamoring for more.