Lady Liberty by Vicki Hinze

I adore Vicki Hinze's books. They are right up my alley. Romantic suspense, strong women, usually in powerful positions of responsibility or authority. Men who both admire and respect them who are equally as powerful. Love them. This book is no exception.

Blurb: US Vice President Sybil Stone, code named Lady Liberty, has proven she can hold her own against some of the world's most influential power brokers. But now, negotiating a vital peace agreement in Geneva, Switzerland, Sybil receives an urgent message calling her back to American soil...

In 72 hours disaster will strike, catapulting the United States into a war that will cost millions of lives. Only Sybil Stone holds the key to stopping it. Yet between Sybil and success lies a minefield of intrigue, betrayal, twisted motives, and three merciless enemies. Her only hope of survival - and the world's - rests with Agent Jonathan Westford, a judiciously ruthless operative with one goal: in the face of overwhelming odds, keep Lady Liberty alive. Time is running out and trust is running thin. But Lady Liberty and Agent Westford know they must succeed - or the first-strike missile will launch...

This book is tightly written, without a lot of superfluous 'fluff', as I like to call it. The relationships could be confusing, but Hinze does a masterful job of connecting the dots of all the players involved. She walks a fine line with Westford and Sybil, showing the closeness that can develop between a political figure and their closest protective detail but without crossing the line. I loved how protective Jonathan was of Sybil while still acknowledging her ability to do her job and giving her the room to do it well. And Sybil, in her own way, was equally protective and caring of Westford, although it was more in subconscious gestures. I love the respect that Westford commands among his men. I love the respect that Sybil commands in Washington, even among those that don't like her politically and personally. Now that's political power!

Needless to say, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading this book. The storyline is fast-paced... blink and you miss an important factoid. I found so many of the scenes really interesting and found myself wondering if, like when I was reading a Tom Clancy, this is really the way things happen...

This was another of my summer reads. Terrific book. My only complaint about Vicki Hinze is that too many of her books are out of print and I can't get my hands on them :(