Review for "Extreme Exposure" by Pamela Clare

This is my debut review for a romantic suspense set in contemporary times. I must say, I was very leery about delving into a new time period, since I usually read historicals. However, having already read several books by this author, I had a feeling I wouldn't be disappointed. And I was right.

Kara McMillan is a damn good investigative reporter. She's extremely dedicated, hard working, smart and relentless. She is also a single mom. Like many women who juggle a career and motherhood, Kara has put her own needs on the back burner. She hasn't had a date in five years, brushing aside her own wants in order to fulfill those of her young son. But there is more to it than that. Although she won't readily admit to it, it is easier to be busy all the time than to face her fear of intimacy with men.

Along comes Reece Sheridan, an extremely attractive senator, who unbelievably, is one of the good guys. Prior to entering politics, Reece was a school teacher, dedicated to teaching the future generation that one can make a difference in the world. So, to prove his point, he ran for political office and won.

Naturally, politics and journalism are two professions that feed one another. So, when Reece walks into a bar one night, Kara recognizes his face, and introduces herself. What she wasn't prepared for was the Senator's charm and astonishing good looks. What Reece wasn't prepared for was Kara's natural beauty, nothing like her picture in the column of her paper. He is thrown by her drunken inquisition of his sexual preferences, knowing that she will be appalled when she realizes the next day how rude and flirtatious she was upon their first meeting. But Reece isn't appalled. He's intrigued. For some reason, he finds himself drawn to this attractive journalist. But Kara knows that she is treading on shaky ground. She cannot cross that line between her profession and her personal life. A state Senator and an investigative reporter....it just can't be done. But she can't stop thinking about him....about his deep kisses...about his hands burning a trail upon her skin.... and she can't seem to say no when he calls her. But when their careers collide in scandal, Kara is left wondering if she has been betrayed once again by the man in her life. Can she trust Reece and fight for a love she thought she could never have? Will they both lose their lives or will they fight....fight for their lives, for each other and for a love that neither can truly deny.

Pamela Clare delivers with a punch in this tale. There is everything from action, suspense, love, political intrigue, romance and some deadly hot sex. I was involved from the first chapter. Pamela Clare's knowledge of investigative journalism is evident in the realism she brings to the plot as well as the actions of her characters. I loved the idea of our heroine being a single mom with a demanding career, trying to "have it all". Even though our hero might seem a bit too perfect, his idealism fits with that of his character, a truly dedicated teacher. As Reece's and Kara's relationship heats up, the reader is brought to a gripping climax filled with action and intrigue. This is a story with several underlying messages, responsible journalism being but one. I really enjoyed this first installment in the I-Team series and I will definitely reach for #2.