Cold Snap by Toni Anderson is the third standalone novel in her Cold Justice: Most Wanted series. In this installment, Anderson delivered a tale where the suspense will have you breathless and the romance will warm your heart.
Evidence that a notorious criminal is hiding out in a small, seaside town in rural Maine leads to an FBI agent going undercover in this new Romantic Thriller from New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Title: Cold Snap
Author(s): Toni Anderson
Series: Cold Justice: Most Wanted #3
Also in this series: Cold Silence , Cold Deceit , Cold Fury , Cold Spite
Published by Toni Anderson Inc. on June 27, 2023
Pages: 460
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense
Source: Author
Format: eArc 
Purchase: Amazon
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Grady Steel returns to the insular community of Deception Cove, Maine, where he spent his troubled youth unfairly labeled the town’s bad boy. Now a member of the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team, Grady is on a risky undercover mission, hunting one of the FBI’s Most Wanted fugitives.
Recovering from a broken marriage, Brynn Webster comes home to the sleepy small town—where nothing ever happens—to help her parents run their seaside cafe during her mother’s illness. After diving into the frigid waters of the winter harbor to rescue a dead man, Brynn begins to realize that the ocean isn’t the only place swirling with dangerous undercurrents.
Grady befriends the pretty manager of the local cafe in an effort to unearth the town’s closely guarded secrets. Deceiving Brynn isn’t easy, though, especially when he starts to fall for her. Then, when decades-old crimes lead to modern-day murder, Grady’s mission becomes a race against time as he strives to catch a ruthless killer—before Brynn becomes the next victim. All the books can be read as standalone novels.
This installment gives us Grady Steel and Brynn Webster’s story. Both grew up in Deception Cove and they left the first chance they got. Both are doing well in their respective careers. Grady as an FBI agent, and Brynn as a graphic designer. They had no plans to return home, but fate had other ideas. Brynn returned home to operate her parents’ café, as her mom had fallen ill. Grady returned for an undercover assignment. An assignment involving former FBI agent Eli Kane, who has been on the FBI’s most wanted list for over two decades.
Cold Snap embodied all the things one looks for in a solid romantic suspense. A mystery to keep one turning the pages, suspense which keeps one on the edge of their seats and a steamy and heartfelt romance. From the first page, I knew I was in for a treat and the story did not disappoint. Tension, drama, danger and intrigue permeated the pages of Cold Snap.
Grady tries to maintain his cover while dealing with hostility from the citizens of Deception Cove. Most of whom refuse to see beyond his troubled past. The hostility was so bad they blamed him for a murder which occurred the moment he returned home. However, the hostility is not the only conflict he faces. He also struggled with his attraction to Brynn. He knew he needed to remain focused on the investigation and not allow his feelings to become a hindrance, but this would prove a challenge.
I enjoyed the romance and loved how Grady and Brynn’s relationship developed. Having been hurt in the past, Brynn was wary of getting involved with Grady. Despite not knowing the real reason for his return to Deception Cove, she knew his stay was temporary, and she feared risking her heart. Grady was unsure of his ability to love. Seeing them overcome their fear and embracing their feelings was a heartening experience.
Learning the reason for Kane landing on the FBIs most wanted list made for a compelling read. The man is dangerous and there is no justification for his actions. Cold-blooded to the core, he had no qualms with killing anyone he perceives a threat. Throughout the story, I attempted to figure out his identity as there were many suspects, but it was not an easy task. The revelation of his identity along with other reveals left me speechless.
Now I was quite happy to see a particular person receive his comeuppance. He abused his power and wasn’t particularly good at his job.
Cold Snap is a thrilling addition to the series and I highly recommend it and the previous books (Cold Deceit and Cold Silence) to fans of romantic suspense.
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About Toni Anderson
Toni Anderson writes award-winning, bestselling, FBI Romantic Thrillers. She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, RITA® finalist, science nerd, professional tourist, dog lover, gardener, mom. Anderson’s books have won the Readers’ Choice Award, Aspen Gold, National Excellence in Romance Fiction, Book Buyers’ Best. Originally from a small town in Shropshire, England, Toni studied Marine Biology at University of Liverpool (B.Sc.) and University of St. Andrews (Ph.D.) with the intention she’d never be far from the ocean. Well, that plan backfired and she ended up in the Canadian prairies with her biology professor husband, two kids, a rescue dog, and a laid-back leopard gecko. Toni started writing while pregnant with her first child and never stopped. Her greatest achievements are mastering the Tokyo subway, climbing Ben Lomond, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, and surviving fifteen Winnipeg winters (fingers crossed). She loves to travel for research purposes and was lucky enough to visit the Strategic Information and Operations Center inside FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. in 2016. She also got to shove another (police) car off the road during pursuit training at the Writer’s Police Academy. Basically she has way too much fun!
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Yay for a Toni Anderson read. Glad to see it was such a solid turnout for you.
I’ve only read a couple of books by this author but I want to read more.
Oh that sounds really good.
Wow! This does sound great. I love when all elements of a romantic suspense are balanced and strong like this.
I really like Toni Anderson’s books…and can’t wait to read this one! 😀
Ohh! I love Toni Anderson books!