Bare It All

Hidden pasts and magnetic attraction add heat to Foster's second romantic thriller in her Undercover series (after Run the Risk). Alice Appleton survived a kidnapping related to a human trafficking circle. Now hypervigilant, she barely lets her guard down, except with her neighbor, hunky police detective Reese Bareden. Letting Reese stay with her breaks the rules of Alice's self-imposed exile from the world, but their "powerful need" for each other transcends other considerations. When Alice attempts to save a girl from being trafficked, she stumbles into the middle of a drug ring. Reese is determined to keep Alice safe from drug lords and from her own do-gooder instincts. Foster hits every note (or power chord) of the true alpha male hero, and the heroine is vulnerable enough to be relatable but never needy. The side stories are a little distracting, but the central story is a compelling read from start to finish. Agent: Karen Solemn, Spencerhill Associates. (May)