Sydney Croft’s enormously popular, sexily steamy series soars to new extremes with this latest chapter in the continuing saga, Tempting the Fire. The series’ evolution has focused on the fantasy-inducing ACRO secret agents (all with fan-yourself-good-looks, kick-butt mutant-like skills, and Energizer-bunny libidos) as their top-secret missions send them into intense situations working with, or against, others like themselves. In this latest addition, one of the series’ less visible but undeniably favorite characters, Marlena, finally gets a hot, heart-pounding, very animalistic starring role in Tempting the Fire.

Slaughter at its most basic predatory levels has been reported to ACRO via the filmed massacre of a group of Navy Seals in the jungles of South America. Rumor has it that one of the most fantastic mythological creatures of all-time is responsible and may be the weapon of a powerful enemy agency. Sela and Marlena are the best agents for the mission: to track down El Chupacabra and seduce Logan, the head honcho of the weapons company linked to the enemy agency. This cut-and-dried mission proves to be far more perilous than anticipated; even worse, absolutely nothing is going according to the plans.

Marlena oon finds herself in a drastically culminating, mated-for-life situation with none other than an evolved El Chupacabra. Shockingly, the curse that is doomed to plague her for life and keep her from love forever has somehow been bypassed by the half-man, half-beast now mated to her. Even more, she finds herself falling in love with him…for real. Is this her one and only chance for happily-ever-after? If so, how can she protect him from those who want his life?

Sela faces many hurdles to love and intimacy given her past work as a seducer. On a mission for ACRO, personal issues cannot play a part in the game or the success of the mission — not to mention the lives of the agents — could be lost. Now Sela has to find the muster to be the seducer she once was because Logan only has eyes for her. The pressure is on as passion and heat build to monumental levels between them. As their bond builds and secrets are revealed, there is still one truth which Sela cannot bare. When that final truth eventually surfaces, it may destroy the only chance at love either of them will ever know.

Sydney Croft has proven to be a master at keeping the heat burning and the passion swelling from cover to cover. Nonstop excitement is guaranteed with all forms of action shaking it up in all the wrong places, and in all the right ways. Tempting the Fire not only tempts - it ignites the flames for a sure-fire explosion of success in the genre of paranormal romance. What a terrific addition to this addictive series.