The third installment of Julie Leto's Phantom series, Kiss of the Phantom, is my favorite. All of her books contain a female lead that is very strong and self-sufficient, but has vulnerability as well. I found that I connected with the Mariah Hunter character the best of all the leads thus far in the series.
Mariah is a self-proclaimed thief, a paid treasure hunter, in the adventurous style of Indiana Jones. Whether it's by flying her own plane or helicopter, trekking through the densest jungles with her machete, or a combination thereof, she travels the world taking valuable artifacts from various entities, giving them to others who pay her well for this service. Kiss of the Phantom begins with the loss of some Aztec coins she acquired for a not so nice client, as well as Mariah chasing after an artifact simply because her old partner and ex-boyfriend Ben was after it. Mariah quickly finds out that the artifact is not a simple one. It has magic attached to it, in the vein of a "phantom" named Rafe, who was trapped in an artifact a couple hundred years ago like his brothers in the previous books of the series. Adventure and danger ensue, as Rafe learns about his new world, they try to get the coins back, and Mariah learns how to let a man in to her heart after all.
I really enjoyed this book the best out of the Phantom series. There was nonstop action and a lot going on, but I never got lost or confused. Ms. Leto's wonderful writing kept me entertained as well as completely engrossed. I can't wait until the next installment!