Charmed and Dangerous    by Lori Wilde Order:  USA  Can Warner, 2004 (2004) Paperback     Reviewed by Rashmi Srinivas Hot-headed and determined, FBI agent David Marshall utterly hates to lose. That's why he's on a single-minded mission to capture the one art thief, Peyton Shriver, who's eluded him for years - even if it means unofficially recruiting a civilian like Shriver's current romance, dumb blonde Cassie Cooper, to help entrap Shriver. When soon afterwards, Cassie goes missing along with Peyton and a priceless stolen painting, David's certain she's fallen under Peyton's Svengali charm and is working with him. On the warpath to Europe in order to capture them, David comes up against a formidable opponent – Cassie's Olympic-athlete sister, Maddie. Knowing well her irresponsible twin's flighty but honest character, Maddie feels certain that Peyton's kidnapped Cassie and she dogs David's heels determined to rescue her sister. Working together, albeit towards contrary goals, David and Maddie constantly bicker, inventively give each other the slip, argue themselves hoarse, and are still unable to deny the growing passion between them. Are they simply carried away by Europe's romantic atmosphere, or is it the start of something more meaningful? Lori Wilde once again delights her growing fan base with an emotional roller-coaster of an adventure that's as hot as it is romantic! David and Maddie are so alike in some ways and opposite in others that it's delightful to watch them attempting to outwit each other, while trying not to acknowledge the attraction burgeoning between them. How they work out conflicts as they strive to solve the case, forms the crux of this engaging romantic drama. Secondary characters add to the story-line. Personal dramas aside, suspense is one of the mainstays of Charmed and Dangerous and is as relentless as the pace of the novel, during the course of which action shifts to beautiful locations in Europe. With a deft hand, Wilde blends humor and suspense, passion and mystery into a story both charming and dangerous. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews