About the Book:
When she is targeted by a vicious mobster, a past love is her only hope.
When a Russian gangster targets Coral Staufer, she is desperate for help. Coral stumbles across an undercover agent none other than the man she loved and lost, Trevor Stone. Trevor will risk anything to stop her from becoming a mob casualty…even risk his career to protect Coral. But when their past love reignites, their entire mission—and very lives—are at stake.
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About the Author:
Geri Krotow is a Naval Academy graduate and Navy veteran. She has traveled to and lived in many places abroad, including South America, Italy and Russia. Her family has finally settled down in Central Pennsylvannia but Geri still writes about all the places she’s been. An award–winning author, Geri writes the Silver Valley PD for Harlequin Romantic Suspense.
Dear Reader,
Welcome back to Silver Valley!
Incognito Ex, Silver Valley P.D. number eight, is my favorite SVPD book to date. Coral and Trevor once had it all, including a marriage that both allowed to fail for myriad reasons. When they come face-to-face again, during a night of Russian organized crime madness, it’s not a forgone conclusion that they’d made a mistake by divorcing. But as the stakes rise and both of their lives are at risk, all of the resentments and sorrow of the past melt away to reveal the truth: Trevor is the only one for Coral, and she for him. But there are some big issues to solve first, like how to stay alive while being stalked by a former FSB/KGB agent!
While the situations and characters in my stories are fictional, emotions are universal. We’ve all wondered about our choices, past and present. Perhaps, like Coral and Trevor, we’ve felt the pangs of regret over ending a relationship too soon. I hope you enjoy the suspenseful ride with Coral and Trevor, but more than anything, I hope their love brings you healing in your life, too.
I love to connect with readers! Please find me at my website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Peace,
-Geri
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Read an Excerpt:
“It’d be stupid to do it here. She’s easier to move while she can still walk. Let me take care of her, then I’ll come back for you both. Stay low, don’t use your flashlights. The police will stop at the farmhouse first. We’ve got time.” He wrapped his arm around Coral’s waist—she was thinner, but still steely strong—and half dragged, half ran with her to where he’d seen her car earlier in the day, when he’d made his own excursion out here.
Self-recrimination threatened to stop him in his tracks as he knew he should have made doubly sure she wouldn’t be on the property when ROC came looking for Markova’s treasure. But he’d run out of time to verify his source who’d told him she’d be out tonight. Even with her being here, he’d never have expected she’d catch them—usually his ROC associates were somewhat competent. Unlike these two.
Thank God for inept thugs.
When they were what he estimated was halfway to her car, he pulled out his pistol and held her tight with his other arm. “Hang on. I’m going to shoot at the ground, to let them think it’s you.” He quickly fired two shots at the dirt, making sure the bullets had nothing to bounce off, making it sound like he’d just eliminated a witness.
The sirens were close, and he saw the patrols turn into the long drive leading to the barn area.
“What are you doing here, Trevor?” Her voice shook, but he couldn’t tell if it was shock or anger. Probably both.
“I’ll explain later. Right now we can’t be seen by anyone.”
“But that’s the police—I called them.”
“I can’t be spotted, and for now you’re with me.” He had no way of knowing which officers were re-porting, and he couldn’t risk being taken into custody. Only two SVPD officers were cut in on his deep undercover work.
Now the woman on his arm was one more added to the list of people in the know. The woman he’d never forgotten, whom he’d still go through hell and damnation for. His ex-wife, Coral.
My Review:
Coral and Trevor are actually both from the same part of the country, but, ironically, met thousands of miles away while in college. They soon became a couple, fell in love, and married. Trevor became a marine, and was often deployed. It wasn’t long before they were only seeing each other about two months out of the year. When Trevor’s stint in the service was over, Coral was hopeful that they could begin to work on their marriage, which had become strained. Trever, however, is now involved in sensitive undercover work, and continues to be absent for much of the time. Though they both still loved each other, they finally decide to divorce after five years of marriage, agreeing that their life together will never work and was just making them both miserable.
Three years have passed, and Coral has moved back to Silver Valley, PA, her home town, and started a catering / event business. The area has become a prime location for Russian organized crime, and Coral’s property has become the site for some stashed data. Unknown to Coral, Trevor’s undercover group is fighting this organization, and he, also, has been back in Silver Valley, though he took care to avoid Coral. Now that she may be in direct danger, Trevor steps in, determined to protect her.
Their first meeting in three years occurs when Coral encounters three men scouring her property at night. She foolishly confronts them, only to be taken captive by two thugs and Trevor, undercover, who has infiltrated their group. I was really annoyed at Coral’s reaction in this situation, as her unthinking comments all but blow Trevor’s cover. Trevor ends up taking her to a safe house, and eventually introducing her to others in his organization.
As INCOGNITO EX takes off from this point, two things happen. First, the sizzling passion between Coral and Trevor flares up again. Though they both feel they’re totally wrong for each other, they can’t seem to put their desire for each other aside. The second thing is that Coral and Trevor seem to almost change roles. Trevor makes mistakes that a seasoned agent shouldn’t make, almost appearing inept at times, while Coral receives some training and soon is doing much of the rescuing.
I felt that I had to suspend disbelief at some of the action, particularly one of the outlandish rescues that Coral pulls off. While I enjoy seeing a woman become more empowered, I like it to feel real, and I don’t like to see it done at the expense of making the other main character look amateurish. What I did enjoy was seeing Coral and Trevor each come to terms with the mistakes they made during their marriage, and risk making some changes to take another chance at the genuine love they still feel. I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series, but a lot of the necessary information was provided here so I didn’t feel lost. The romance was the strongest part of this story, and I think it will appeal to readers who enjoy a second chance at love. ~Rose
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