Tag, You're It! (Berkley Sensation) [Kindle Edition]

I loved this book. Finally, we get a heroine who can think, act, and doesn't get fluffy at some point just to make the story progress in a "romantic" way. The characters were unique, not the usual romance folk, and kept their personalities through the entire book. The action is steady, the story great and I am in love with Jackass (and later, Stupid, who deserves a bigger part in another book, a sequel, maybe?) I look forward to more from Penny McCall. She is a fresh face on the scene and a welcome one.

Former heiress and Miss USA, Alex Scott is minding her own business studying mountain lions in the rural Colorado Rockies when a man comes tumbling out of a plane to wreak havoc on her life. She rescues him and suddenly finds herself in danger as he has bad chasing him while trying to convince her to go on a treasure hunt with him. News of treasure spreads and soon the rural town is overrun with weekend prospectors. What Alex doesn't realize is that Tag Donovan is actually working undercover for the FBI trying to solve the murder of his partner. When she finds out the truth, will she send Tag packing?

McCall's latest romantic suspense has a kick butt heroine who can hold her own in a pack of alpha males; rather than waiting around to be rescued, she's the one that everyone keeps coming to for help. Mixing comedy with tons of chemistry, her characters leap off the pages. The romance between the two takes awhile to build, but it sure smolders! She also gives quite a personality to Alex's possessive horse Jackass, whose affinity for alcohol is hysterical. Definitely a keeper!

I've read two other books by Penny McCall (Ace is Wild and All Jacked Up), and I must say that they are not the average romantic suspense read. Not everybody will like them because of the complexity and nuances of the dialogue and plot. Some readers might find them confusing, but what I can say is that her stories are intelligent and they make me think. I can honestly say that sometimes I have to re-read parts to make sure I understand what is going on. Tag, You're It is one of those stories.

This story is about Alex Scott (former Miss USA) who was badly burned in a former relationship and who now prefers to live isolated in the Colorado mountains while studying mountain lions. One day, Tag Donovan (undercover FBI agent) is thrown from a plane right in front of Alex's path. He is on a mission and can't reveal specifics with Alex. She believe that he is on a hunt for the rumored Lost Spaniard treasure.

There are lots of twists and turns with the plot, but the gist is that Tag gets Alex to help him look for the treasure. What she doesn't know is that her "former relationship" guy is the one funding the expedition. There are also lots of other secondary characters, some who are friends of Alex, some friends of Tag, and others wanting to find the treasure themselves.

What I like about Alex is that she is so spunky. She's somewhat like a beauty queen meets Lara Croft. She can take care of herself. She doesn't want a man, even though she is highly attracted to Tag. She fights that attraction the whole way through the story. Tag, on the other hand, is like a cross between Indiana Jones and Dirk Pitt rolled into one.

This is a great story, and I've enjoyed the other stories by Mrs. McCall as well. Her stories are like a breath of fresh air for the contemporary romantic suspense genre. 5 stars!