Review: To Serve by Kristin MacQueen

Rating: 3.5/4   Undercover Love #2

To Serve drops the reader right into the action as Maddox and Mason have been working an undercover case for over two years now. Book 1, To Protect in the series recounts Mason and Kelsey’s story during the same time period. I think if I read that one first I would have had a clearer picture of the scenario our characters find themselves in. Maddox has devoted his life to the police force and this assignment. Mason and him have cut off all connection from their real lives for the safety of those they love, but it is tiring and lonely, with no end in sight. They have learned that the organization they are undercover with is not only transporting weapons and drugs, but women too. If only they can find the leader of all these operations, they can go home. 

Maddox finds a quick connection with Cali, one of the current women being held and vows to get her back to her daughter.  At the same time, Mason has found his fiancé among the captives. Maddox and Mason decided that action needs to be taken immediately to rescue these women. Cali and Maddox’s relationship grows on the other side of escape. Harper, Cali’s daughter, is a bright light among the heavy circumstances. I think Maddox and Harper’s relationship could overpower the story at times. But as a single mom, Cali’s greatest goal is her daughter’s happiness and she would need to have a great relationship with any man in Cali’s life. I wanted to love this story but there were just little things that kept me from doing so. 

There are a few things that seem inconsistent with returning to life after being a captive and being undercover. This may be partly on me as I have not read the first book in the series and I do think that would help build a clear picture. However, when the characters are at the hospital we do not see the women being questioned by other officers or Maddox and Mason reporting beyond the all clear. Once the characters are released from the hospital, Cali’s internal monologue worries but she still performs actions that I think would be more difficult than portrayed. Such as opening the door for strangers at a place she just moved into. I do like that the main suspense element was not the defining point of the relationship and Cali took her time to process what she wanted from Maddox. It was an enjoyable read and I might go back to Book 1 to fill in some of the gaps.