TANGO’S EDGE – Carole Bellacera
Cerridwen Press
ISBN: 9781419914775
February 2008
Romantic Suspense

Park City, Utah; during the 2002 Winter Olympics

Ice dancer Kerry Niles knows that this year’s Olympic competition will be her last chance at a medal during her career. She hasn’t broken it to her partner, Adam, yet that after these Games, Kerry will retire. In fact, no one knows. So why not relax, have fun, and skate her heart out if this will be the last time she’ll ever compete? It’s become quite obvious that Adam has never gotten the clue that Kerry does not care for him as much as he does for her. So, while he partners her on the ice, he also tries to squire her around outside the rink, commenting on her every thought, action, and whom she talks to. Adam definitely won’t like that Kerry has taken a shine to Mikhail Kozlov, the gorgeous male ice dancer who pairs with Elena Boiko. Kozlov and Boiko are the Russian darlings who are expected to win the gold medal this year.

Things take an unexpected turn when Mikhail asks for Kerry’s help in defecting from Russia. It’d be near impossible for Kerry to do this, no matter how badly she may want to, and she definitely cannot let Adam down since it would mean not competing in the free skate program. Mikhail has cooked up a plan to escape the Olympics, getting out from under the thumb of Mother Russia who, despite the fall of the Berlin Wall, has a hand in everything that many Russian professional athletes do. Elena’s bodyguard, Sean O’Malley, not only guards her, but keeps a nasty eye on Mikhail, sure that he’ll take secrets back to officials about the injections, called TNG, used to “enhance” athletic performance.

After a calamitous accident, Kerry’s plans change and she’s able to help Mikhail defect, so on the night of what would have been their biggest competition night, they hit the road. It’s Mikhail’s desire to get to Kerry’s stepbrother, Roger, a CIA agent whom Mikhail is pinning all of his hopes on for help. The more time she spends with Mikhail, the more her heart becomes entangled in seeing him become a free man. Not only does Kerry start falling for Mikhail, the ice skater, but the man as well.

But danger isn’t far behind them. Sean O’Malley and his nasty band of thugs will stop at nothing to ensure that Mikhail never makes it to Virginia, where Kerry’s brother is. Sean has no qualms whatsoever in hurting Mikhail to eliminate him from Elena’s life. Once Mikhail is out of the picture, Sean will be free to keep Elena at his side at all times, hopefully as his wife. But if the TNG is ever brought to the U.S. government’s attention, things won’t be so rosy.

TANGO’S EDGE is a thrilling tale from the very talented pen of Carole Bellacera, an author who is highly underrated. With scads of sexual tension and smokin’ chemistry between Kerry and Mikhail, it’s not long before the two start their own tango of the heart. Mikhail is a man any woman would want. Ms. Bellacera shows a flair for not only characterization, but incorporating Mikhail’s heavy Russian accent into dialogue. It’s not hard to actually hear the words spoken in your head as you read TANGO’S EDGE. Character development doesn’t end with the two main characters, however. Sean and Elena are a nasty duo only out to please themselves. Mikhail didn’t have much choice in partnering Elena, and she won’t stop until she gets what she wants -- the gold, and hopefully the puppy adoration of Mikhail. She’s the kind of woman who loves to have men at her feet, even if she kicks them to the curb when she’s done with them. It’s not what she can do for them, but what will they do for her?

Light on the suspense angle, TANGO’S EDGE still hits many notes on the palate for a romantic tale of two lonely people who deserve to find love. Even if you’re not a closet skating fan like me, you’ll definitely enjoy Carole Bellacera’s newest book from Cerridwen Press. There are not many authors who can make a double axel or a triple toe loop look sexy, but Ms. Bellacera does. Not since Kurt Browning have I had a crush on a male skater, but Mikhail can help me trace my edges any day. Enjoy!

Amy Cunningham