Review : Becoming Rain by K.A Tucker

Summary (from Goodreads) 

Title : Becoming Rain (Burying Water #2)
Author : K.A Tucker
Publication Date : March 3rd 2015
Publisher : Atria
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Luke Boone doesn't know exactly what his uncle Rust is involved in but he wants in on it-the cars, the money, the women. And it looks like he's finally getting his wish. When Rust hands him the managerial keys to the garage, they come with a second set—one that opens up the door to tons of cash and opportunity. Though it's not exactly legal, Luke's never been one to worry about that sort of thing. Especially when it puts him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 and onto the radar of gorgeous socialite named Rain.

Clara Bertelli is at the top of her game—at only twenty-six years old, she's one of the most successful undercover officers in the Washington D.C. major crime unit, and she's just been handed a case that could catapult her career and expose one of the west coast's most notorious car theft rings. But, in order to do it, she'll need to go deep undercover as Rain Martines. Her target? The twenty-four-year old nephew of a key player who appears ready to follow in his uncle's footsteps.

As Clara drifts deeper into the luxurious lifestyle of Rain, and further into the arms of her very attractive and charming target, the lines between right and wrong start to blur, making her wonder if she'll be able to leave it all behind. Or if she'll even want to.  

Personal Thoughts

K.A Tucker is fast becoming one of my favorite NA authors. The first book in this series, Burying Water, was pretty much a masterpiece for a NA book. It was unique and very well-written. I was very excited to pick up Becoming Rain because I knew that K.A Tucker would once again impress me. While reading the book, I was completely enamored and I had a hard time putting down.

Clara, the protagonist of the novel, is an undercover cop. Her latest job, as Rain Martines, involves her having to get into the midst of a car theft ring. In the middle of it all, she encounters Luke Boone. Clara was a great main character. I loved her almost instantly. I mostly connected with the passion that she had for her job and I loved that she strove so hard to reach her goals. What I loved even more about Rain was how she wasn't perfect. She was prone to making mistakes and that made her very realistic to me. She had a pretty tough job and how she managed to keep her emotions at bay is beyond me. Eventually though, Clara's emotions begin to muddle in with her case, and I was so tense throughout the book because I was worried how it would blow up in her face. Then there was Luke, who was completely clueless to the fact that Rain, as he knew her, was an undercover cop charged with unraveling the car theft ring that he and his uncle are involved in. I went into the book a little bit hesitant towards Luke. After all, he was this mob-type character and I wasn't sure how I would enjoy him, but he managed to steal my heart. Luke might be involved in some shady business, but throughout the book it was crystal clear that he was a sweetheart and he was forced to be in the middle of all those crappy situations. By the end of the book, my heart just went out to him and I was completely in love with him.

As expected, the romance between Rain and Luke was complicated and so convoluted. Honestly, I wasn't sure how it would work, but K.A Tucker is a star at what she does. She crafted their relationship that made it seem so heartfelt and so believable. I was completely into their story and I just wanted them to be together as a happy couple. There were several times when I was on the edge of my seat because of this love story because I was nervous as to how Luke would react when he found out. The author handled it all masterfully though. This is the kind of romance that gives me butterflies and this is the kind of couple that bring out the best in each other. I also can't talk about Becoming Rain without talking about the plot. It was suspenseful and I was very invested in the storyline. Normally, these car-theft stories bore me, but K.A Tucker held my attention throughout and I actually think the plot might be one of my favorite parts of this book. The Russian mobsters, the danger and anticipation all kept me glued to the book. Seriously guys, if you haven't read a K.A Tucker book, I highly recommend you do because she is a wonderful author with a gorgeous writing style.

Becoming Rain was a phenomenal companion novel to Burying Water. It was a nice medley of romance and suspense, both aspect done incredibly well. If you're into more original NA books, this is a series that I don't hesitate to recommend.

Rating 

Cover : 4/5
Plot : 4/5
Characters : 4/5
Writing : 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the e-ARC of Becoming Rain.