A More Perfect Union by Carsen TaiteA More Perfect Union by Carsen Taite is an excellent romantic suspense (which should be a surprise to no one, because that’s exactly what Taite does!).

Major Zoey Granger is headed to Washington to testify in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee after blowing the whistle on a fraud scandal involving some of her fellow soldiers. When a crowd of reporters is waiting for her at the airport, Zoey is relieved to be saved by a gorgeous woman named Rook Daniels, who puts Zoey in her private car.

When the hearing is over, Zoey is shocked to learn that she’s not heading back to her base in Texas, and is instead being promoted and reassigned to the Pentagon. Her first order of business is to head up an internal investigation and act as liaison with the White House, keeping them informed of her progress. Zoey’s point person on behalf of the White House? None other than Rook Daniels, DC fixer and Zoey’s personal airport hero.

Although it looks like they’re investigating a minor issue, things run deeper than either woman could guess. Plus, there’s the not-so-small matter of their rapidly developing mutual attraction. Can a rule-following soldier find her happily ever after with a woman who makes her own rules?

The Characters

I found it very easy to connect with Rook and Zoey and enjoyed reading about both of them. They’re whip smart and super sexy, with excellent chemistry that smolders throughout the book. I wouldn’t say that either of them have huge character changes, and I was very okay with that. Rather than having the women reshape themselves to fit each other, Taite does a great job of showing how they assess their priorities and then makes that a factor in their relationship success.

Fans of Taite’s book Courtship will be happy to see more of Julia and Addison (especially Julia) as side characters in A More Perfect Union. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t read it, however, because this book stands alone. I haven’t read Courtship and didn’t feel like I was missing any information, although now I want to read it too!

The Writing Style

As a Canadian, I have zero clue how accurate any of the military stuff is, so I can’t really speak to that side of the story. It’s an expertly balanced romantic suspense, however, with an interesting mystery at its core and a well-developed romance between Zoey and Rook. I found my attention captured by both halves of the equation and was satisfied with how everything turned out.

The Narration

Hollis Elizabeth was a great choice to narrate this book. While I wouldn’t say any of the voices were particularly distinct, I never had a problem following the characters, and she kept me interested the whole way through. I would have enjoyed reading this on my Kindle, but I’m glad I listened to it, and I know her performance is a big part of why I found myself sneaking in extra listening time whenever I could.

The Pros

This is a pitch perfect Carsen Taite story. Everything worked for me!

The Cons

I didn’t have any.

The Conclusion

If you’re a fan of romantic suspense, military romance, or just a damn good romance, you’ll want to pick up A More Perfect Union. It’s a great place to start if you’ve never read anything by Carsen Taite before, and it’s sure to satisfy if you’re a longtime fan like me.

Excerpt from A More Perfect Union by Carsen Taite

Rook stood. “Come with me.”

Zoey’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”

“You want to get out of here, right?” Rook reached out a hand. “Trust me. I got this.” She cast a look over her shoulder at the gaggle of press who, as she predicted, had started to spread out in search of their prey. Zoey followed her gaze, sighed, and placed her hand in Rook’s, following her to the ladies’ room. Rook glanced under the stalls and then pulled off her suit jacket. “Here, put this on.”

“I can’t take your clothes.”

Rook grinned. “Well, that’s moving a little fast, even for me.” She cleared her throat while Zoey glared. “I was only offering my jacket. The other stuff will have to wait until our second date.”

“You’re hilarious,” Zoey said, her tone flat.

“I get that all the time. Now, put it on.”

Rook checked her phone. Right on time, Lacy had texted her own escape route. Get to private terminal. SkyLight Helo standing by. You’ll be on time.

She typed a quick response. Thx. She shoved her phone back in her pocket and shook her jacket in Zoey’s direction. “Come on. We’ve got to get moving.”

Zoey tugged on the jacket, and Rook admired the way it fit over her uniform. It wasn’t a perfect disguise, but it might work. “Now, let down your hair. Literally. Shake it out and we’ll be ready to go.”

She watched while Zoey looked in the mirror, grimaced, pulled off her beret, and reached a hand up to loosen the pins holding her hair in place. When the auburn waves tumbled down onto Zoey’s shoulder, Rook swallowed a gasp. The major was a stunning beauty despite the perpetual frown. “Much better. Now plaster a smile on your face and stay close.”

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Bits and Bobs

  • ISBN number: 9781626397545
  • Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
  • Audiobook Publisher: Bold Strokes Books Inc
  • Narrator: Hollis Elizabeth 

Carsen Taite Online

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