TRADING SECRETS

In Eckles’ debut thriller, a Wall Street mover and shaker is threatened by a dangerous ex-lover.

Celeste Donovan, co-owner of Donovan & Clarke Capital, appears to have it all—she’s attractive, owns a heart-stopping wardrobe, and amuses herself with a string of handsome boy toys. But her highflying lifestyle hides her troubled past as the onetime girlfriend of the horribly abusive Omar Santos, a vicious financier with ties to the criminal underworld. She escaped his clutches 10 years ago, using information from his cell phone to hit him where it hurt—in his portfolio. Via a massive insider training scheme, she and her business partner, Savin Clarke,walked away with $400 million. But when Celeste finally finds love with a mannamed Theodore, a financier, Omar reappears to destroy her life. When her new beau dies in a mysterious plane crash, Celeste vows revenge and frames Omar in Saudi Arabia for crimes punishable by death. Although she succeeds in destroying her nemesis’s career, he successfully manages to take her captive. Eckles provides a fast-paced thriller that takes readers on a wild ride of revenge and intrigue. Vivid descriptions of stunning clothes and opulent locations pack the pages, as do steamy encounters (“You’re the perfect man, Celeste thought as her eyes rolled back”) that will please fans of contemporary romance. That said, the plentiful scenes of substance abuse and violence may be a bit much for some readers, and other elements of the plot, such as Celeste’s framing of Omar, feel implausible. For the most part, however, readers will find this to be a compelling and satisfying page-turner.

An often effective blend of grit and glamour.