Lauren Dare is a woman with a past, and keeping a dark secret that endangers her very life. A very dangerous man wants her dead, and has already tried twice to have her killed. After two years on the run, she has settled in Portland, Oregon as an artist. As MIDNIGHT VENGEANCE begins, Lauren's paintings are being shown at a show featuring the interior designs of her very good friend Suzanne Huntington. Suzanne's husband John is providing security for his wife's show, along with a team from his company, Alpha Security International. One of his crew, Morton 'Jacko' Jackman, has been especially charged with watching out for Lauren.

Jacko is doing more than just keeping his eye on Lauren for the show, however. He has harbored a crush on her for months, even going so far as to take the community art classes Lauren sponsors. Jacko is unable to articulate his feelings for her, unfortunately, and settles for friendship. Jacko is a large, tattooed and pierced ex-SEAL, and has always gone for a more earthy type woman. Lauren is a petite lady, elegant, classy, and refined. She is so far out of Jacko's reach that he can barely speak to her, much less make his feelings for her known. They are friendly, but Jacko has been unable to find a way to gauge Lauren's interest or take their acquaintance to the next level.

Their relationship suddenly changes the night of the gallery showing. When an art patron snaps some pictures of Lauren on his cell phone, she has a near meltdown. Although Jacko confiscates the phone and deletes the photos, Lauren fears her cover is blown and knows she will have to flee once again. She decides that the one last thing she wants to do before she leaves is to act on the simmering attraction between Jacko and herself. Lauren takes Jacko home for one night of passion before she runs; but deeply underestimates the lengths Jacko will go to in order to keep and protect a woman he now considers to be his.

MIDNIGHT VENGEANCE is the fourth book in Lisa Marie Rice's popular Midnight series. Although it has been nine years since Rice wrote a new book in this world, the storyline takes up very shortly after the previous book, Midnight Angel. MIDNIGHT VENGEANCE builds a bit slowly, as there is a lot of catch-up to be done with the leads of the previous books of the Midnight series. Once reacquainting the reader is out of the way, the story takes off; and is a quite enjoyable suspense tale. There are not one, but two bad guys after Lauren, and showing their points of view adds a great deal of malevolence to MIDNIGHT VENGEANCE.

Rice has gone back to her writing roots here, and to a beloved series and group of characters. This is Rice's vintage style of writing and characterization, featuring her trademark alpha men and genteel heroines. There's not really anything new here; but for fans who have been a bit disenchanted with Rice's recent offerings, this is a welcome return of a beloved author's classic style. Although part of a series, MIDNIGHT VENGEANCE can easily be read standalone.

Book Summary

Morton "Jacko" Jackman isn't afraid of anything. He's a former Navy SEAL sniper, and he's been in more firefights than most people have had hot meals. Lauren Dare scares the crap out of him.

Gorgeous, talented and refined, she's the type of woman who could never be interested in a roughneck like him. So he's loved her fiercely in secret, taken her art classes, and kept a watchful but comfortable distance. Until now.

Lauren had finally found a home in Portland, far from her real identity, far from the memories of her mother's death, and outside the reaches of the drugged-out psycho who's already tried to kill her twice. One tiny misstep—a single photograph—has shattered it all. She has no choice but to run again, but this time she'll give herself a proper farewell: one night with Jacko.

Their highly charged emotional encounter changes everything. In Jacko's arms there cannot be fear, there can only be pleasure. Anyone wishing her harm will have to pass through him, and Jacko is a hard man to kill.