{Review} Risking it All (Crossing the Line #1) by Tessa Bailey

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: January 27th, 2015
Finished Date: December 31st, 2014

Publishers: Entangled Select
Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Source: For Review
Format: eBook

Pages: 400

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

NYPD detective Seraphia Newsom will avenge her brother’s death at any cost. Even if it means insinuating herself into a rough, Brooklyn street gang and going so far undercover, she’s not sure she’ll be able to get out. Every minute she spends in their midst means the clock ticking down on her life, especially when she overhears something that could get her killed.

Bowen Driscol is the heir to a crime enterprise. He never asked for the job, but with his father behind bars, he has no choice but to step in and keep the operation running. But when the NYPD blackmails him with a piece of damning information in exchange for aiding an undercover cop, he finds himself on the other side of the law for the first time in his life. 

Bowen knows the danger Sera is in, and keeping her safe trumps saving his own ass. The problem? She can’t know he’s on her side. And there's the matter of the seriously inconvenient heat sparking between them that's incinerating his resistance. But Sera only sees Bowen's past, and men like him are the reason her brother is dead. If they're to get out alive, he'll have to risk exposing the man beneath, and hope to hell he doesn't blow the whole operation in the process.

The Review: This book was awesome and read like a movie!
Seraphina finds herself in a precarious position when she goes rogue in the attempt to bring her brothers’ killer to justice by stealing a diary rumoured to show all of his dodgy dealings - but she overhears something she shouldn’t and is put on a hitlist. Unbeknownst to Sera, her superior/uncle knows what she’s up to and grabs Bowen off the street and blackmails him into giving Sera the back up she needs – because she is in way over her head. Bowen is the heir to his father’s criminal empire and seen as how he’s in prison, it’s left to Bowen to run things – a job he hates – but what can he do? It’s his life but not his choice. When the cops give Bowen no option but to do their bidding he is unprepared for the impact Sera will have on his life and libido, he is drawn to her, wants her like he’s never wanted a woman before but this must remain platonic for both of their sakes or they risk being even more of a target. Will Sera find what she’s looking for? Will Bowen? And will they both get out of this alive?
Risking it All was a thrilling read, the characters were relatable and very easy to connect to. Sera shows her mettle when she goes off on her own to bring down her brothers murderer, her character is determined and capable but has seriously underestimated what can happen. I liked her attitude though, she was admirable in the way she handled herself and played her role well. Bowen is very much the misunderstood antihero, a victim of circumstance really and had he not been born into that life – what would he have become? It’s apparent from the start that these two have a connection but that chemistry leads to a sexual tension that really steams up the pages, there are lots of ‘will they, won’t they moments’ that are super hot and really amps up the sexual tension until you’re as desperate as the characters for them to get it on.
Aside from the relationship developing, the storyline is really good and as I said, I could see myself watching this as a movie. I see that mafia/criminal organisation stories are becoming very popular lately and I find that I’m really enjoying them, this is no exception. There’s a certain amount of anticipation in these such books because we spend it wondering when someone will make a move and try to hurt our characters, we wait to see if Sera will uncover the diary and gain justice for her brother – the tension when she goes in search for it, wondering if she will get caught. Then there’s the fact that Bowen knows what Sera is up to but she isn’t in on it and Bowen also knows that the enemy wants Sera dead which again brings danger and tension to the plot -plus it could come from anywhere, so that when they’re not trying to get into each others pants, they’re looking over their shoulders. That’s what I mean when I say that this is thrilling, it gives you a great story filling you with anxiety, making your heart race in fear but it’s also makes your pulse race in other ways, 
good ways and makes you route for a happy ending for Sera & Bowen because their plight is fraught with not only danger but the two of them being from different worlds and not seeing how they could get their own HEA and it all heads to the thrilling, surprising ending that has repercussions for everyone. I really hope this will become a series because it was just awesome!

Thank you to Entangled Select for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.