Colliding Forces    by Constance O'Day-Flannery Order:  USA  Can Tor, 2005 (2005) Paperback     Reviewed by Martina Bexte Deborah Stark is an ambitious, no holds barred professional, on the fast track to success in the television news industry. She wouldn't mind being as happy and thoroughly in love as her best friend, Maggie, who just married and is expecting her first child. But if you want to succeed in the news business, some things, (like finding true love with the man of your dreams), must be relegated to the back burner. Even so, Deborah finds it hard to forget her whirlwind Caribbean affair with sexy and darkly mysterious Marcus Bocelli. When one of Deborah's co-workers comes to her about corruption within their own television company, Deborah is skeptical, but asks to see hard evidence. That same day she receives word that her mother has died. Now, rather than spending a pleasant Thanksgiving at home, Deborah must plan her mother's funeral. She's more than surprised when Marcus shows up to comfort her and help her through a difficult time. They rekindle their whirlwind romance and ask themselves if their passion might lead to something more permanent. But for Deborah, work comes first, especially when she learns that the co-worker who delivered the news about corruption at their station was the victim of an unexplained hit-and-run. How deep does the conspiracy go? Deborah is determined to find out, with Marcus equally determined to stand by her side and ferret out the truth. This story is nicely written, with plenty of insights into the day-to-day workings of a TV news station. O'Day-Flannery spends a lot of time on backstory, filling in details of Deborah's life before, and then after, her mother's death. Unfortunately, Deborah's introspections and soul searching become a bit tedious. The plot finally perks up, but not enough to do the conspiracy or the love story justice. If you've read the author's Shifting Love, then you already know a bit about the Foundation of shapeshifters that employs Marcus. If not then you'll wonder why Deborah doesn't ask a whole lot more questions about her future husband's shapeshifting abilities as well as his job description within the mysterious Foundation. Overall, though, Colliding Forces entertains and is a good lead-in to the next installment of this ongoing series. 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