Name: Lynn Braden's review of Tough Justice by Tee O'Fallon
Item: Tough Justice
Rating: 3
Author: Lynn Braden

Tee O'Fallon

It should have been a routine investigation. Instead, DEA K-9 agent Adam "Deck" Decker watches in horror as one Denver hospital seems to be Ground Zero for overdoses of a new drug. Now Deck can only hope a certain icy, green-eyed ER doctor will help him and his canine partner track down the deadly source.

Dr. Tori Sampson has her reasons for not trusting federal agents, especially ones working for the DEA. But the rash of overdoses—including a heartbreaking case involving a teen—is alarmingly high. And the new opioid is not only extremely dangerous, it defies all the usual medical treatments. So Tori has a choice: work with the big, brawny, and annoyingly hot DEA agent...or watch more innocent people die.  

Tori's the only person who can help Deck break the case, and they'll need to trust each other, no matter how high the tension and attraction sizzling between them runs. But with every question answered, they realize there's something more behind these typical teen overdoses. There's a pattern here, and a pattern can only suggest one thing. There's a killer on the loose.

K-9 Special Ops #1

Tough Justice

Genesis (@whisperingchapters)

Dr. Tori Sampson is tired of losing patients in her emergency room to drug overdoses.  When a DEA agent is brought in due to accidental exposure, Tori meets Agent Adam Decker.  Deck is amazed at how well Tori handles his friend's case even with his distrust of doctors.  Tori is skeptical of Deck's plan to help prevent more drug overdoses, but reluctantly agrees to help when she loses another teenage patient.  Even though their relationship is contentious, Tori and Deck find common ground and an undeniable attraction as they work together more closely.

The star of Tough Justice is definitely Thor, Deck's K-9 partner.  The other characters in the story lack depth, leading to very little emotional content.  The plot involving a new drug on the streets in Colorado is interesting and maintains the suspense throughout, but is still fairly predictable.  The insta-love relationship between the characters also lacks depth and takes a back seat to the mystery.  Overall, Tough Justice has enough story to make it a decent romantic suspense, but adds nothing new to the genre.  

Lynn Braden

Dr. Tori Sampson is tired of losing patients in her emergency room to drug overdoses.  When a DEA agent is brought in due to accidental exposure, Tori meets Agent Adam Decker.  Deck is amazed at how well Tori handles his friend's case even with his distrust of doctors.  Tori is skeptical of Deck's plan to help prevent more drug overdoses, but reluctantly agrees to help when she loses another teenage patient.  Even though their relationship is contentious, Tori and Deck find common ground and an undeniable attraction as they work together more closely.

The star of Tough Justice is definitely Thor, Deck's K-9 partner.  The other characters in the story lack depth, leading to very little emotional content.  The plot involving a new drug on the streets in Colorado is interesting and maintains the suspense throughout, but is still fairly predictable.  The insta-love relationship between the characters also lacks depth and takes a back seat to the mystery.  Overall, Tough Justice has enough story to make it a decent romantic suspense, but adds nothing new to the genre.  

Nicola Sarah Brooks

A flying start to a new series from Tee O'Fallon.  You can really feel the difference in the story when the author has actual law enforcement experience.  As a reader who also works in law enforcement, albeit in the UK, it always just feels that wee bit more realistic.

Deck and Tori are on a collision course.  There's an epidemic of overdoses due to a new drug and Deck and his DEA team are on their tails.  Tori is the doctor in charge of the local ER and has the most experience treating this drug.  When one of Deck's teammates gets accidentally dosed, Tori is the one to save him.  Deck needs her experience and medical know-how, pity he has a bit of a ropy past with the medical community and their willingness to cure everything with a pill.

OMW Deck and Tori have great chemistry. Deck's reason for his aversion to pretty much all pain meds is heartbreaking.  Tori also had sound reasoning for her hatred of the DEA (don't worry she's not a drug dealer!).  I loved them learning to work together and Tori became a bit of bada%%!

Of course, Thor pretty much stole the show for me!  I love reading about service dogs.

As usual, I had the "BigBad" narrowed down to two and it was one of my two options - go me!

Engaging, great main characters, intriguing storyline.  The sign of a good book?  You come away having learned something, this book has that in spades. 

Genesis (@whisperingchapters) &
Tough Justice by Tee O'Fallon

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Genesis (@whisperingchapters) &Tough Justice by Tee O'Fallon

Reviews

Join the club

Genesis (@whisperingchapters) &
Tough Justice by Tee O'Fallon