BOOK REVIEW- CRISIS OF SERENITY

Tess Copeland lives a quiet life in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Thanks to the government’s witness protection program, she enjoys the freedom of never having to glance over her shoulder to see if someone is following her. Life has become safe, serene...and boring. Her heart longs for something more than just existing...until a ghost from her past shatters her serenity.
Once upon a time, Tess was caught between the FBI and the men the feds were trying to take down. Jake Coleman is the U.S. Marshal who extracted her from the jam she was in with the FBI, a man she could have fallen for...hard...if she had let herself. It’s been a year since she last saw Jake, and in all the months that have passed, he’s never tried to find her. The longer he keeps his distance, the more she wonders why his absence hurts so much.
When a stranger comes to town searching for her, all of Tess’ old fears are resurrected. Asking Jake for help with her current crisis might lure him into a dangerous trap involving murder, kidnapping, and revenge. When Jake and Tess come face-to-face with the past, they will have to use all their wits to survive   AMAZON   5 STARS

Wow, intense.  This book had non-stop action and emotion.  I really liked the first book and wondered how in the world could the next book be even better.  But yes, I think it was.  Tess still retains her smart mouth although I can see where she also has matured some and at times even just zips her lip.  But she still does have her fighter instinct and she sure is going to need it.  Again.  Tess has people coming out of the woodwork after her.   And as the story goes on it becomes clear that Tess is not the only one with 
people coming after her.  People want both Tess and Jake dead, and their enemies would be very pleased if they could make them suffer before they die.    Wonderfully done twists, turns and surprises.  

I liked Tess just as much, no, that's too tame, I loved Tess. And enjoyed the way she was getting more accurate in understanding of who she really was.  I liked how in one conversation with Jake, she realized there were times that he wasn't really all that patient with her.  But then she thought,  "but then I could vex a person to distraction if I set my mind to it." Yes, she knows herself pretty well.  I still enjoy the phrases that the author used as Tessa's thoughts that  came out .  It sure fit her personality.  Like, "he was as slippery as a cottonmouth water moccasin and just as venomous."  Or "hope surfaced, gasped for air and drowned before I could throw it a life preserver."  Probably my favorite had to do with a mushy thought she started to have, "I stopped that train before it pulled into the depot, derailing it on purpose."    If these kind of things annoy you, don't worry there wasn't an excess of them. 
I think this book can stand on its own if you haven't read the first book because of a few of the flashbacks that were included.  They didn't take over the book, but added to the story.  I just have to mention that I liked how they were done, you know that you are going into a past situation and even the type of print used marks it even clearer.  Not all books do that,  in my experience.  I do have to say that if you haven't read the first book, you might want to.  Because although there were flashbacks in this book, there is no way that it covered it all.  There was plenty of action and twists and turns that you also would also enjoy in Book 1.  

I was given a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion of it.