This book was a disappointment for me, because it lacks the qualities I liked most about Linda Howard's other books. The main characters are cold. I mean how warm or endearing can they be when they're assasins? The action seemed okay, but the romance lacked. It does seem, like someone else said, on the order of All the Queen's Men. I just don't care for the super spy stories when I'm wanting romantic suspense. For that I could watch or, I suppose, read James Bond. Maybe the author is wanting to switch genres.