Merrimon Book Reviews - In Celebration of Books!!

Beneath the Surface
Athena Force

by Meredith Fletcher

The black sheep of the Athena Academy is back!

Meredith Fletcher's Beneath The Surface, part of the ATHENA FORCE continuity series, is a wonderful read both as a stand alone and as part of a series. Bombshells fans will be happy to see the continuation of the Athena Force and also this particular book which has everything that so epitomizes the beauty of the Bombshell line --- romance, action, suspense with a heroine to match, a heroine who stands up to the challenge in body, mind and heart. As the tenth book in a twelve book continuity featuring the Athena Academy, Meredith Fletcher's Beneath The Surface adds a new dimension to ongoing series by taking a look at the black sheep of the Academy. Past and present merge giving new depth to series and the intrigue of the Athena Force's battle against Arachne's evil. Beneath The Surface works well as a stand alone read thanks to the author's careful presentation, revealing enough to entice both those familiar with series and new readers. Recaps do detract from the current story for series readers and yet new readers do not feel lost. (I jumped ahead in the series because I couldn't resist a black sheep story.) Beneath The Surface renews enthusiasm for the series itself.

Years ago, Shannon Connor's family sent her off to the prestigious Athena Academy. The school's ultimate bad girl, Shannon finally had to pay the price for her actions. Branded as a traitor, Shannon's very name inspires contempt. Academy history remembers her as the only girl to ever be expelled from the Athena Academy. Fifteen years ago, Shannon swore revenge on all those responsible. Now Shannon's past has come back in ways no one ever expected possible. A top notch reporter in Washington, D.C., Shannon's lead Vincent Drago lures her to a seedy bar. Over and over again, Shannon has broken stories about politicians and other leaders. Every time, someone has resigned or otherwise lost their position. Athena graduate Allison Gracelyn can't help but notice that Shannon's key stories all have some connection to the Athena Academy. With the finest computer networks at her disposal, Allison plans to hunt down the answers behind Shannon's stories. Who is the mysterious source trying to bring down the Athena Academy? Has Shannon allied herself with the Academy's enemies and upped her bad girl status? Shannon's new story places her at more risk than she has ever known before. Shannon's chase for the truth places her in the line of sight of mysterious figures who will stop at nothing and a sexy, rugged government agent now on her trail. With her life and heart at risk, will Shannon finally get her revenge on Allison? Will she join the fight to protect the Academy against this new evil or has she found a story that must be told whatever the consequences?

Meredith Fletcher's brilliant characterization and intricate layers of suspense make Beneath The Surface a fast-paced action read full of emotional depth. Shannon's history adds depth to her current struggle. Once unable to get at the truth, she now dedicates her life to a search for the truth. She may have been the Academy's bad girl, but the terrible events of the past did not squelch her independence or her career. She had no need of fancy credentials to get ahead in the world --- she did it on her own! Rafe Santorini, once an agent for the National Security Agency, is no desk man. Field work is his strength and he has the rugged body and good looks to prove it. When Rafe shows up in that seedy bar, she can't tell whether she can trust him. Will their attraction for each other complicate alliances? Rafe has a job to shadow Shannon and discover once and for all her connection to the current crisis. Rafe owes Allison. Knowing Allison is a master at tracking down information, something bothers him about his current assignment. Could Shannon possibly be an innocent or has his heart and attraction clouded his intuition?

Meredith Fletcher creates a multi-dimensional richness in both the hero and heroine that leaves the reader loving them both. A well-placed bathtub scene exemplifies this author's ability to bring richness to both the hero and heroine in the romantic part of this book of romantic suspense. Innocent, playful, mischievous and downright sexy without even a lot of graphic detail, the bathtub scene will appeal to a wide range of readers. Meredith Fletch captures the best of romance when it comes to physical attraction with characters both innocent and mature, who experience each other without contrivance but in the pure joy of each other's presence. Beneath The Surface has fast paced suspense without sacrificing characterization. Allison and Shannon's past pit them against each other as both seek out the truth. Meredith Fletcher lays a careful groundwork of clues, revealing just enough so the reader is one step ahead of the characters at times while reserving some extra special surprises to please suspense enthusiasts as all three main characters unveil the shocking truth behind the identity of the source and the details behind Athena Academy's current nemesis. Action, suspense and romance all integrated so well, it just doesn't get any better than Meredith Fletcher. This reader certainly hopes to see much more of Meredith Fletcher and the Athena Academy!

From the back cover:

Shannon Connor has begun to question the information she's uncovered about the prestigious school that wrongfully expelled her. Who is the mysterious source feeding her such explosive intel? Finding the truth has always been easy—until the search means staying one perilous step ahead of a murderous enemy and one arm's length away from a gorgeous government agent. Now, as the legendary school faces its greatest enemy, will Shannon finally return to the fold—or destroy the academy that shaped her?