Books & Spoons Review TRAVIS JUSTICE BY COLLEEN SHANNON

4/9/2016

Ranger bred, Ranger bound…

Being a Texas Ranger is Zach Travis’s destiny. But war-weary Zach didn’t come home to Texas to take on his father’s legacy, only to heal his emotional scars…until his family’s compound is invaded by an enemy as brazen as she is beautiful. Not only does Hana Nakatomi seem willing to risk everything for the sake of her own birthright, she could be tied to the organized crime syndicate responsible for the murder of a Ranger. Yet, from the first moment Zach has the alluring thief in his grasp, he can’t deny the pulsing attraction between them….

It’s Zach’s duty to bring Hana in for questioning. But he has his own ideas about how to capitalize on her street smarts and martial arts skills. Even as sparks fly during their pursuit of a common enemy, Zach is never sure if Hana is his ally—or his worst nightmare. One thing’s for certain: she’s the first woman to breach the walls of his battered heart….

Interesting, history filled suspense story, where the rangers fight against Asian gangs and drug trafficking, Japanese traditions and customs put the heroine on a lawbreaking hunt for a family heirloom, people are killed for practice, and no one seems to be safe in the battle between power and control over tradition and code of conduct.
The suspense gives a fresh eye to the old samurai culture, their habits, and the folklores around them, as well to the segregation and discrimination of the Japanese during the WWII in the States. There's a lot of referrals to those times, and the plot is heavily built on the story of the sword Hana is trying to get a hold of.
The suspense has many aspects to it, the drugs, the power struggle, the sword, the kidnapping, fight for Hana's son, the murders, and so on. There's almost too much happening, and nothing getting the full exposure in the story.
It also has several different points of view, that at times seemed to spread the story too thin.
The suspense gets some intense action towards the end, mesmerizing yet cruel, giving the suspense side of the story a great crescendo.
When it comes to the romance and building a relationship, I can't even say it was in the background, since few kisses, lust filled minds and then having sex isn't romance or a relationship. Yet that was assumed to be the basis of HEA. Since even their conversations were mostly part of the criminal interrogation, I kept going back and forth trying to see if I missed something, but it didn't seem so. So for me, the development of the relationship, or the characters, wasn't really there.
If you are into a history based suspense, you enjoy the old traditions, legends, and folklores about them, you most likely will enjoy the thrilling suspense developing in the tale, and get a kick out of the adventure Hana is on while hunting for the sword. The age-old tales and family histories are respected, and true warriors are willing to die to protect their loved ones.
~ Three Spoons