Breaking Point (An I-Team Novel Book 5)

I really liked this book and the development of the relationship with the characters and how the experiences they went through really bonded them together. I also like how Zach came to terms with the past with her help.

There was so much more potential for this book. I have read Shannon McKenna's Seals books and Lori Foster's, which were amazing. But I just didn't feel the same quality of story telling in this book. Some of the love scene's were ridiculous and he recieved more sexual attention than she did. Pamela just couldn't quit get the emotional element needed to make it a love story in a time of war.

BREAKING POINT is a great example of action, romance, and suspense. Pamela Clare uses her own background as a journalist to write about Denver`s I-Team. In order to get the most enjoyment out of the series, I highly recommend that you read the books in order (see below).

I`ve rated this four stars out of five because of some believability issues. It is essential that you treat this novel as you would an action movie. When you watch a film starring Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, or Bruce Willis, you let yourself get caught up in the ride. Do the same for Breaking Point, and you will have a great experience.

Nat is the mysterious I-Team member from New Orleans. All that her colleagues know about her past is that she survived Hurricane Katrina. In this book, we found out two more pieces of information about her past, one of which is slightly over the top.

Zach is the SEAL who couldn`t handle coming back to civilian life, so he became a US Marshall. Both Nat and Zach suffer from survivor guilt and it has impacted the way they have lived their lives following their individual trauma.

Our two lead characters meet in a very unlikely way with a lot of drama and their troubles continue when they get back home.

For me, a minor source of irritation was the hero trying to give up his love because he wasn`t good enough for her.

Something that I loved about the book was the use of humor.

"Is this about the grapes? I should have saved some for you. Sorry."

"We`re going to take care of you. Darcangelo would have come, too, but he didn`t want to miss his manicure and back waxing."

"You were a park ranger. I`m not dissing that. It`s an important job. Someone has to keep the chipmunks in line. I`ve watched Chip and Dale. I know how sneaky those little ba$tard$ can be."

"You know, Reyes, the thing you have to remember when working with men is that they`re very emotional. For example, these guys are on the same side, trying to protect the same woman, but they have to fight about it like dogs trying to decide who`s the alpha." After this verbal blow to the balls, she turned to face them again. "But guess what, gentlemen -- I`m the alpha."

In my opinion, this book is definitely worth reading.

Extreme Exposure
Hard Evidence
Unlawful Contact
Naked Edge
Breaking Point

Breaking Point by Pamela Clare is the fifth book in her I-Team Romantic Suspense series. This series has been and is still amazing, entertaining, sexy, thrilling and a must read for me. This author knows how to bring together wonderful, sometimes wounded strong alpha males with strong, smart and compassionate leading ladies. The relationships don’t feel contrived and the sex is hot.
Natalie Benoit is an I-Team reporter going to a conference in Mexico when her bus is invaded by the Los Zetas cartel. The Mexican journalists are executed and she is kidnapped. She is placed in a cell next to Zach McBride who is an undercover US Deputy Marshall and he has been tortured almost to death. As afraid as she is, Natalie is able to get out of her cell, rescue Zach and the nonstop action begins as they make their way home.
Both Natalie’s and Zach’s pasts interfere with their present, but Ms. Clare works through their problems in a very realistic way that has you cheering them on in their physical race home and in their emotional realizations and growth in the plot. The cast of characters from previous novels are there in the finale to help fight the bad guys and bring a resolution to the plot. Can’t wait for the next book!

5+ stars! You know those books that within the very first page, you can just tell you're going to fall in love. It's the right book at the right time and you get that excited feeling as you try to figure out how you can squeeze a couple more hours of interrupted reading into your day. Well you've found it.

Yeah Pamela Clare has outdone herself with this 5th instalment from the I-team series; I could not put Breaking Point down, what a freakin ride. The action starts immediately and just doesn't let up. More than once I caught myself thinking how the hell are they going to get out of this? (Which is just silly because of course they're going to get their HEA, this is a romance after all) but I was so caught up in the story. Everything about this was just perfect, starting with the cover (hello) the studtastic (and literally) tortured hero, the sigh-worthy romance, the sexy, sexy love scenes, the inclusion of Marc and Julian and their ongoing bromance and a heroine that I could believe in. Easily one of my top reads this year. I'm just sad now it's over.

If I'm honest the only thing I didn't love (and frankly wondered why he received so much page time) was the photographer dude Joaquin Ramirez, he was all over this story for no apparent reason. And if I'm nitpicking the story does slow down considerably after their return to the States but its only briefly before an absolute edge-of-your-seat, movie worthy, bullets flying, helicopter roof top rescue, missing thumb, couple more rounds of electric shock torture, holy crap he's been shot ending wherein I may have forgotten to breathe.

Investigative reporter Natalie Benoit is on her way to a journalist's convention in Juárez Mexico when her bus is ambushed, fellow reporters are shot point blank and she is taken hostage. Believing herself to be caught up in a gang war Natalie is moved to an abandoned church where she finds herself chained to the wall of a cell awaiting her fate. Will they seek a ransom or just rape her? Either way she's probably dead. Within hours she hears the sounds of a man being tortured, by all accounts an American man.

Undercover Deputy US Marshal Zach McBride is in the adjoining cell; he's endured a week of torture and interrogation so far and doesn't know how much more he can take. Of course he hasn't broken, his military training made sure of that and in truth he doesn't know anything about the Cartel's missing cocaine anyways but now they've changed the game, they're offering him the girl for information.

Adding Natalie to the equation just renews Zach's resolve so that without ever seeing each other they forge a bond and plan an escape. Due to the extent of his injuries Natalie is actually responsible for their hard earned freedom and now the pair finds themselves on the run, escaping across the desert and towards the US border. The Zeta's cartel has eyes everywhere so they can't go to the authorities and Natalie is pretty sure her escort the assumed (Mr. Black) is either dealing in arms or drugs so they can't trust anyone.

Zach and Natalie what an awesome couple, both suffering from survivor's guilt they were so perfectly matched and so perfect for healing each other. Past heroes and heroines make a welcome return to this story which despite the gripping level of suspense always maintains a realistic edge along with a pulse pounding, melt your heart romance. This is one for the keeper shelf.

Natalie Benoit was a survivor with a core of steel. Having survived a murder attempt and then losing her parents and fiancé during hurricane Katrina, she was just starting to get her life back on track. Attending a journalist's conference in Mexico, she is taken hostage by the drug cartel. Los Zetas. Bruised, and traumatized, yet again, she calls on her steel reserves and manages to free herself and fellow captive Zach Black from Los Zetas. Zach McBride is an undercover US Deputy Marshall was double crossed and handed on a silver platter to the Los Zetas, and after days of agonizing torture knows that his last breath is drawing near . The soft creole sound of Natalie's voice brings Zach to consciousness long enough to prepare her for the torment ahead. Natalie isn't about to give up without a fight and despite overwhelming odds, frees Zach and herself from their captors. Now all that's left is to make it across miles of desert to the US border without being recaptured.

Only Pamela Clare can put an "I" in sexy. Zach is a quintessential broken hero. He has a hugely overdeveloped sense of responsibility coupled with a martyr complex. Natalie calls him out in spades. She lets him know that there is help for his PTSD. She knows what he's going through. They both have extremely tragic pasts, but Natalie wants to seize life, while Zach has doomed himself to wallow in his survivor's guilt. He does loosen up enough to lay some serious wood in the bedroom, but then has the typical morning after regrets. I just loved Natalie as the heroine in this book. She doesn't pander to Zach's complex, and busts his chops on several occasions. Yay!! I love the fact that although Zach has the tactical knowledge, Natalie has the chutzpah.

Even if you haven't been a devoted stalker of the I-Team, like myself, each book is completely stand alone. The past characters, while heavily involved in each new story, need no detailed introductions. Pamela Clare has well established her self as a star of the Romantic Suspense genre with this series and I give this my highest recommendation. The writing and character development are superb. The stories are fast paced, entertaining, and masterfully scripted. I challenge you to read this book and not covet the rest of the series. It can not be done. I am seriously anticipating the next book and will have it pre-ordered the day it's available.

Breaking Point begins with Natalie going on a trip to Mexico with several other journalists. While there she gets kidnapped by the local drug cartel/human traffickers. She's taken to a cell where there is a man in the cell next to her who has been there for almost week already being tortured. Natalie has no idea what's going to happen to her, and she uses the man in the next cell as a life line not knowing that he's actually one of the good guys. Zach knows he needs to help the woman if he can but he's hurt, and knows hes probably only has a few days left so he has no hope for Natalie or himself. Until she gets the chance to escape, and help him out of there herself. While these two form a way to get away from their captors, and away from Mexico they also start to form a relationship. But both of them have lots of problems in that department. They each have a past that they have to let go in order for them to be together, and they each have to worry about how they will get out of all of this alive as well.

This book has lots of action, suspense, drama, and romance. It was wonderful. I enjoyed Natalie and Zach together. But my favorite parts where with Zach, and the other guys from previous books. It was so cool to see them work together, and to see their friendship. I kind of wish there was a book with just the guys point of view on these things that happen to them. Anyways, the first half of this book was the best part. Then in the middle it seemed to get a little bit boring, but it picked up pretty quickly after that and then ended on a wonderful note. And now I'm looking forward to more in this series as well!

I enjoyed reading this book. It was the first book I have read of Pamela Clare and it probably won't be my last. Half way through the book, I realized that this was the 5th book in the I-team series. I was too distracted by the chiseled man on the cover to notice the small "an I-team novel" above the title. This did not ruin the book for me but I would have loved to have started from the beginning of the series. I love the comradeship between all of the past characters and couples and will go back and read their individual stories when I get the chance.

From the first couple of pages the story took off. It had me at the edge of my seat in no time. I felt Natalie's fear when she was kidnapped and Zach's pain from being tortured. And when they met voice to voice and not face to face, something happened between them that kept building until the very end. In a lot of romantic suspense books where the hero saves the heroine, It's hard to distinguish whether the heroine loves the hero because he saved her or if she really loves him. I believe that Natalie really did love Zach for who he was. I think they both saved and healed each other. The only thing I really didn't like was Natalie and Zach getting it on in the middle of the dessert when they were escaping. One minute I was reading about them hiding from drug runners and the next thing I read is them having sex like there was no tomorrow. At first I thought a page was missing and had to look at the page number. This wasn't the last time either, every chance they got they were having sex in the dessert when there was danger lurking around. I didn't understand that. Once I got past that, I enjoyed this book and Natalie and Zach's story.

Books like Breaking Point are the reason Pamela Clare is my favorite Romantic Suspense author. Yes, I know I sound like a broken record, but it's true, and this latest installment of the I-Team series only further solidifies her place of honor in this genre. The story is action packed from the first page to the last and once again I was kept on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next, and once that was revealed, how they'd ever be able to get out of it. And when I say my heart was pounding and my hands trembling while reading this story, I'm not exaggerating.

I won't go into the plot, other than to say that the dedication gives us more insight into the depth of Breaking Point than the cover blurb ever could:

**This book is dedicated to the memory of the hundreds of murdered and missing women of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. You were brutalized and discarded like you didn't matter. But the earth received your tears, your blood, your bones, and, like a bereaved mother, the earth itself cries out for justice. May the violence end and those who stole your bodies and your lives be held to account.**

With all of Pamela's novels we are given stories we can believe in, causes we can champion, and if Breaking Point is any different at all, it's only in that the underlying truth the story is founded on is so heartbreaking. And while it's true that there are hundreds of missing and murdered women whose names we'll never know, we know of them, and they live on through Pamela's writing. They are not forgotten.

Now, as those of us I-Team fangirls know, this wouldn't be a Pamela Clare novel without a gorgeous, passionate, hotter-than-hell hero and Zach MacBride fits that bill perfectly, giving us plenty of burn-up-the-pages sexy goodness! Both he and Natalie Benoit are incredibly strong people, inside and out, and they had to be in order to survive the physical and emotional hell they're put through in this book.

While Breaking Point has one of the most intense, exciting endings I've ever read in a romantic suspense novel, it is also filled with memorable and heartwarming moments. One of my favorites from this book also takes place towards the end when we get a candid, touching glimpse into the depth of the friendship formed between Marc and Julian, a couple of I-Team heroes from previous books. It seriously brought tears to my eyes.

If you haven't yet read this series, you're really missing out on some incredible stories. They'll enlighten you, entertain you, make you laugh, sigh and fan yourself, and they might even move you to tears, but most importantly, you'll finish the book knowing that what you read was well worth your time. And who knows, you might even be inspired to take a look around and see what you can do, no matter how small it might seem, to make someone's life a little better. To make a difference.

Pamela Clare couldn't have asked for better press before the release of her latest novel Breaking Point about a former Navy SEAL. It was a marketing dream come true that the biggest news story of the decade...the death of Osama Bin Laden by the elusive Team SEAL Six occurred the day before Breaking Point released.

THIS book is why I read romantic suspense and LOVE it. I've read every book in Pamela Clare's I-Team series and she has yet to disappoint. Breaking Point may just be the best one yet and that includes Naked Edge which was one of my top picks for 2010 and made me cry at the emotional and gripping end.

Two voices connect in the darkness. Two strangers each in their own version of hell in a dank, dark prison cell...knowing it's only a matter of time. Two strangers thrust together in the most desperate and dangerous circumstances two people can find themselves in. Two strangers who are forced to trust and make hard decisions in order to survive...or die.

Natalie Benoit may be a journalist by day, but more importantly she was a survivor...of an attempted murder; of Hurricane Katrina; of the great personal loss of her fiancé and her parents as they were racing to be by her side on that fateful day of Hurricane Katrina`s destruction six years ago. For six years she`s been unable to move on.

But Natalie is one tough cookie - brave, courageous and gutsy in the most extreme of circumstances and she`s smart. No wimpy or TSTL moments for this heroine. Many times during their imprisonment Zach could only marvel at Natalie's strength and courage. He'd never met a woman as strong as Natalie...or as soft and pretty and sweet.

Zach...just feast your eyes on the cover people (yes it's yummy Jed Hill in real life), swoon-worthy Zach "Black" McBride. Former Navy SEAL, currently employed by the US Marshall Service and presently a shackled and blindfolded "guest" of the drug cartel Los Zetas in a hell-hole beyond compare.

Zach couldn't make it in the "real" world after his honourable discharge from the military, suffering from PTSD and survivor's guilt when his entire SEAL team was killed in Afghanistan. He needs the rush of adrenaline; the thrill of kill or be killed mentality that being a US Marshall, walking the line along the US-Mexico border can give him.

Zach. His body may be bruised and battered, his shrill cries from being tortured unlike anything Natalie has ever experienced before...but he's not broken. It's just sometimes even heros need help.

Can I just state for the record that I hate electrical torture scenes. I always hated it when Jack Bauer from the TV show 24 was tortured with it and it's just as bad reading about it as it was watching it on TV...at least then I could hide my eyes.

In survival mode for the first part of this story Zach and Natalie are pushed to the limit. Two strangers who have simply been existing, going through the motions of life and through their shared experience learn to live and love again.

As an added bonus in Breaking Point we were treated to cameos from all the previous I-Team men and their significant others in varying degrees. Clare writes this group of men like no other. She shows us what it means for a group of Alpha men to have a real bromance.

Memorable Quote that made me LOL. Marc to Gabe:

"You weren't in desert combat. You were a park ranger. I'm not dissing that. It's an important job. Someone has to keep the chipmunks in line. I've watched Chip and Dale. I know how sneaky those little bastards can be."

All kidding aside you can feel and see the mutual respect, admiration and love - yes I said love that these men feel for one another. They would each take a bullet for the other one without hesitation.

There is sooooooo much goodness in this story! And the S.E.X......Muy Caliente!

How many ways can you extol the virtues of why you love a book? Sometimes words just aren't good enough. I was so immersed in the storytelling in Breaking Point that I thought I was right there along side the characters. Seriously the action does not let up from start to finish. I love it when I read a book and the author keeps you right on the edge, a tingle of apprehension skating down your spine, waiting for what she's planning next for the characters good and bad.

If I were a movie producer - Breaking Point would make one action-packed, kick-ass, worthy of gracing the big screen, box-office blockbuster with something for the alphas and romantics alike. Someone get on that would you? Jerry Bruckheimer? Harvey Weinstein? Ridley Scott? Someone please!

Well done Ms. Clare. I bow down to your amazing storytelling. Now when's the next book out?

More information available at: [...]

I am speechless and honestly don't know where to start with my review.

After reading the first 4 books in the I-Team series I have come to absolutely adore Pamela Clare. Apart from her ability to write a fabulous novel my interactions with her have shown me that she is an equally fabulous lady. Kind, considerate and loving she is also mind blowingly brilliant.

Breaking Point was floorless. Utterly brilliant and enthralling from the very first chapter.

I have loved every single character in this series and Natalie and Zach were another perfect edition. Natalie is an extremely strong woman, with looks to make a man drool and the smarts to match. I fell in love with her and never wavered. It broke my heart to read what she endured in this book and I found myself wanting to hug her on more than one occasion.

Zach, oh my dear, sexy, spunky, hunka hunka burning love, Zach. From the moment I caught sight of this cover I was in love with Zach and it wasn't hard to picture Jed Hill (the model on the cover) as the heroic Zach McBride. He was strong, he was heroic, his love for Natalie caused me heart palpitations and he also had a soft side. He was the perfect combination and I will forever hold him in my spank bank.

Over the hundreds of books I have read, I have enjoyed a large percentage of them, but no other author can have me biting my nails, send my heart racing one minute then have it breaking in the next. Pamela's novels always evoke a huge amount of emotions and it is a thrill ride every time. I found it hard to determine whether I wanted to read slowly and savour or speed read because I simple couldn't go another minute without knowing what was going to happen.

The action was intense and in-depth. Not only do you get a remarkably well written story from Pamela, you also get a learning experience.

I cannot praise the work of Pamela enough, she is my number 1 idol and I hope that she enjoys writing as much as I enjoy reading, because honestly, I have never felt more emotional over a book.

Meeting Pamela Clare is definitely on my bucket list.

WOW! The action starts immediately and does not let up until the last pages. I know there were points where I was so into the story that I forgot to breathe. This doesn't usually happen to me, as breathing is important!

Very brief synopsis - Natalie travels to Cuidad Juarez, Mexico, for a journalist conference. Her tour bus is hijacked by a Mexican cartel, who shoot the Mexican Nationals, and kidnap Natalie. Next to her cell is another prisoner, Zach. They manage to escape, and make their way to the US. But the story is just revving up at this point. We find out that a seemingly small story Natalie is working on involving a girl's school in Denver has ties to the kidnapping, and it is up to Zach and former I-Team heroes to save her.

Impressions - Zach and Natalie are smoking hot together. She thinks he is a criminal at first, but realizing he is her best chance of escape and survival, chooses to trust him. Bound by adversity, they get together quickly and often, lol! Along with lots of adreneline fueled sex, Natalie and Zach also develop an emotional connection. These two have deep scars from the losses in their pasts. They are kindred spirits, getting through their lives without really living.

Zach fears he can never conform to "real" life. A former Navy Seal, he found it impossible to reintegrate when he left the Navy. He carries a lot of guilt over an incident involving his team. Zach throws himself into his work as an undercover US Marshall and lets Natalie know there is no future for them due to his work. My heart hurt for Zach, for his pain, for the guilt he carried, for his belief that he was not good enough for Natalie. He was truly a hero in every sense, putting Natalie's well being before his own.

Natalie is a Steel Magnolia. She does what needs to be done, and her inner strength was astounding. She doesn't complain, she just does it. She doesn't have any TSTL moments, she accepts help when it becomes apparent that her life is in serious danger. Her past is revealed and it is tragic. She can't find a way to let go, nor can Zach. Together they overcome their ghosts and learn to love again.

The action is gritty, realistic and on the graphic side. I'm not kidding when I say it is a page turner. The bad guys are truly merciless. The lengths the bad guys go to in order to get to Natalie and Zach are extreme. The lengths our heroes go to in order to rescue them are even more extreme.(This would be the part where I forgot to breathe!)My heart was in my throat more than once. I don't want to spoil anyone, but I will say that Gabe is a maniac (in a good way), and I love Julian more than I can say...And Marc, well, Marc made me bawl like a baby.

There is a lot of snarky banter in the book, especially between the heroes. They interact like real men. The deep affection and friendship they feel for each other shines through. Tessa, Sophia, Kara and Kat all play a part in the story, as well. It's always great to catch up with favorite characters. The addition of previous couples to BP flows beautifully into the story and never feels gratuitous.

What worked for me - Every freakin' thing. There was nothing I would have changed, no "where did THAT come from?" moments.

What didn't work for me - Nothing. I loved this book wholeheartedly!

Pamela Clare...everything about her writing works for me. I firmly believe she takes the whole genre to a new level. In fact, I have often stated that she deserves her own genre. Her research is impeccable, and her writing is tight and strong. There are no wasted words, yet everything comes to life. Her characters stay in character, which I appreciate more than I can say. The level of detail she provides without making you feel like you are drowning in unnecessary facts/words is unparalleled. Her heroes are extraordinary, as are her heroines. There is action, there is humor, there is love, there is HOT! HOT! HOT! sex...I know I'm gushing, but I can't help it. She is one of my all time favorite authors.

If you haven't read the I-Team series, do yourself a favor and start with Extreme Exposure, and work your way up to Breaking Point. While Breaking Point can be read as a stand alone, don't deprive yourself of the pleasure of the rest of the series.

I absolutely adored this book. Zach and Natalie were a true team and complimented each other in every way. This book was very well written and researched. The storyline and plot were very unique in the way they met at the beginning. A great heroine who had lots of grit and spunk, and a hero who was full of honor and a man of his word. I won't spoil this amazing book for you by rehasing the plot. Just know this book and series is well worth the money and lack of sleep. Great romance, adventure, and twists and turns in the plot. Zach is a great man in every way and Natalie is a very strong and well rounded women and they are wonderful together. They have great friends who they can trust to have their back and be supportive in stresful and dangerous situations. Natalie and Zach are both very human and relatable facing demons from the past and finding the courage to move forward. Mrs. Clare is a very talented and gifted writer and is on my favorite author list. I love the I-Team series. It is outstanding and romantic suspence at its absolute best. I would highly recommend this series because you will not be disappointed. The only one left to read for me is Naked Edge and the next new release this summer. This is a keeper and a riveting read.

5+++ stars.

I love, love, love, love, love...did I mention I LOVE!!! this book.

First off, the cover is wonderful. I picked this book up off the shelves because of the cover. When I picked this up I hadn't read anything by her (except for an historical romance I read nearly a decade ago) so I had no idea how wonderful her I-Team series could be, so this was the first Pamela Clare book I ever bought, she wasn't an auto-buy for me yet. That quickly changed though.

Now even though I bought it first, it wasn't the first Pamela Clare book I read. However if had read it first it wouldn't be confusing to a new reader. There are some things, of course, that are for the readers who have read from the beginning but a new reader can pick this up and be ok.

Secondly, as always, from the first page I was swept away with the story. The opening chapter is so gripping and heartbreaking. I was on the edge of my seat.

The romance between Natalie and Zach was fantastic. They are my favorite couple out of the whole series at this point. Even though I love Julian/Tessa and Marc/Sophie, Natalie and Zach are my number 1 now. I loved seeing them work together and make their way through the obstacles they faced. It was so wonderful.

This is an installment that I can see myself reading over and over again. It's amazing and I look forward to reading even more of this series.

Three stars might be a little generous. I liked the suspense/thriller parts of this story, but the characterization started to wear on me. Natalie had the potential to be badass in a realistic way, escaping a Mexican cartel and being on the run. But after the second half of the book, she just became a useless thing to protect. AND at the end, she quits her job as a journalist (half the point of the story) to be a wife.

The representation of the men being the big, fearless "soldiers" and the women being the soft, comforting thing waiting for them to return home safely bothered me. Not saying the women had to be all guns-blazing, too, but jeez. It's 2015. Some women want more than securing a husband.

Hurricane Katrina killed reporter Natalie Benoit's family and fiancé Beauregard Latour. She relocated to Denver to start anew away from the mentally crippling memories.

Natalie attends a convention hosted by the American State Department and the Society of Professional Journalists in the Mexican border town Cuidad Juarez. However, the Zetas drug cartel kidnaps her. The low volume voice of encouragement in the dark of another prisoner gives her the fortitude to carry on. Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Zach McBride was sold out by an Interpol agent, but manages to get them out of the incarceration. Now they must flee across a desert while a raging kingpin and his minion chase them with one objective kill the journalist and the Fed.

The latest I Team romantic suspense (see Unlawful Contact and Naked Edge) is an action-packed thriller that grips the audience from the moment the tour bus is attacked by members of the Zeta cartel and never slows down as the vicious killers stalk the lead couple. The key is that Zach's calm inner strength and SEAL training helps Natalie adapt from frightened victim to courageous heroine as the attraction is always there but takes a back seat to the great escape.

Harriet Klausner

Pamela Clare is an author I discovered through the discussion groups here and she is delivering better and better books each time a new release comes out. Breaking Point of course features one of the news reporters from the I team. Natalie is taking some time away from the office with a working vacation of sorts in Mexico. A group of rebels attack the tour bus she's on killing most of the passengers but Nat is spared and held prisoner.

Through the wall of her crumbling prison, Nat hears the voice of fellow prison Zach "Black" as he encourages her to be tough. Zach is undercover across the border as a drug runner. His real job is as Assistant Chief US Deputy Marshall. Can I just say I loved Zach. He had a few moments where a knock upside the head wouldnt hurt but I found something very appealing and unbelievably hot about the deputy marshall. What I love best about this novel is Clare's ability to weave in previous characters while not allowing them to overshadow the main hero/heroine. They also serve a true person and not just as cameos. Marc and Julian were awesome but it was Gabriel Rossister's secondary role that just blew me away.

As Zach and Nat try to find out why she was kidnapped and solve a news story she was reporting on at the same time, the two fall in love and its everything a good romance should be. Absolute wonderful read

Pamela Clare is truly a brilliant writer and I don't say that lightly-- and with Breaking Point she truly excels. Yes the writing is wonderful. And the tension ratches up relentlessly as a suspense novel should. But, where Ms Clare truly shines is in her characterization. Natalie and Zach are people we come to care about-- we long for them to get together. Yes, there is a sexual passion that seems unstoppable-- but there is also an attraction on a heart and soul level. A story of true soul mates that is so emotionally satisfying to read. Honestly, you will hate for this story to end! As an award-winning journalist, she knows how to dig to the heart of an issue and as with her other novels, there is something thought-provoking as well as a heart-stopping plot and a hero who is definitely a keeper!

I generally shy away from romantic suspense and roller coasters - just too much excitement for this mild mannered romance reader. Yet the buzz generated from Ms. Clare's previous books propelled me to read BREAKING POINT - the fifth book in the I-Team Series. Like a roller coaster, the plot unfolds in two parts - the first (shorter) loop of chilling suspense followed by the second (longer) loop of thrilling action that left me breathless and satisfied.

Zach is a decorated Navy Seal turned Deputy US Marshall (DUSM). While working undercover, he is betrayed by an ally, taken prisoner by a Mexican drug cartel, and waiting to die from torture. Enter Natalie, an investigative reporter who has also been taken prisoner during a bloody ambush. The two meet through the walls of their hellhole prison. Ms. Clare touches upon issues that will resonate with military veterans, law enforcement, and first responders - the Code of Conduct and Service before Self.

Zack provides Natalie with the emotional support to escape and she provides him with the physical assistance to join her. They take refuge in Alter to plan their trek across the Mexican desert to the US border. At this point, I am anxious for them. They just pulled off "the great escape" yet they are far from safe as they eat, sleep, and touch. Yes, touch.

In the short time that our hero and heroine have spent together, they realize that the other is a lifeline - not just out of their physical hellhole but the emotional turmoil that has plagued them far too long. The emotional connection leads to physical interaction that reenergizes their sense of survival. Although this plot could lapse into a cliché, Ms. Clare makes it very real for the protagonists by allowing them (and the reader) to experience the full spectrum of emotions -emotions heightened by their brush with death.

As Zack and Natalie trek across the desert, I grew uncomfortable. I felt the weight of their packs on my back, the unstable sand under my feet, the blaring sun on my face, the fear pulsating through my heart, and the thirst creeping through my body. Ms. Clare is not just telling a story, she is placing the reader in the middle of it.

Once they cross the US border, Natalie returns with the I-Team to Denver and Zach reports back to Washington, DC. No sooner do they give me a chance to catch my breath, the roller coaster climbs to the top. The suspense begins to build. An enemy within emerges from the shadows to threaten Natalie. This time, hero and heroine switch roles - Zach provides Natalie with the physical stamina to survive. She provides him with the emotional strength to break through his demons. They are joined by the I-Team and their husbands in law enforcement. To balance the testosterone, Ms. Clare introduces us to Colorado Marshall Teresa Rowan.

The deputized team encounters its own twists and turns in protecting Natalie, especially during the climactic loop. In fact, Ms. Clare takes the reader through a series of poignant scenes:

- the gravity defying appearance of a team member
- an unexpected opportunity for one alpha to comfort another
- Zach resolves a long standing issue on the canyon ridge.

This second (longer) loop was heart pounding and heart wrenching as hero and heroine wrestled with real monsters and inner demons. Ms. Clare gives us a realistic portrayal of The Happily Ever After - it is not a gentle Dumbo ride. Instead, it is the dark unknown of Space Mountain that challenged both the protagonists' belief in their abilities and their trust in others.

I don't know what Ms. Clare has planned next but I sure would like to see Colorado Marshall Teresa Rowan take a few loops around the roller coaster of romantic suspense!

I read BREAKING POINT as stand alone book. I look forward to reading the preceding four books to learn more about the I-Team. Thus, Ms. Clare has converted me to romantic suspense (roller coasters are still under consideration).

Wow. Just...wow. If you haven't yet tried Pamela Clare and her I-team series, do yourself a favor and get started now. This is the 5th installment in Clare's powerful series, and to say it doesn't disappoint is an understatement.

I'm going to skip the usual synopsis, since other reviewers have already done a great job, and you can read the book's official one. But please read the author's message here on the store to get an idea of how rich and authoritative her writing comes across. Ms. Clare is an investigative journalist in her "real life", and brings to her books so much more than fluff and smut. Her stories have meaning, purpose, intelligence, and leave the reader thinking. She takes us out of our comfort zone, and we learn about serious and intensely dark subject matters often overlooked in society. Her attention to detail and well-researched characters and issues suck you right in to the book, making you feel like you are right there in the desert with Zack and Natalie (or any of her characters).

Since others have reviewed Breaking Point so well, I'll tell you about the I-team series as a whole. While each book is a stand-alone, and certainly may be read in any order, I think you will enjoy the experience of reading them in order so you can better appreciate how the characters grow in their relationships, and develop in their friendships with each other. In the first book, Extreme Exposure, you meet Kara and Reece, and crusade against corporate greed and pollution right along with them. The second book Hard Evidence introduces Julian Darcangelo, a fan favorite, and his fight against the horrors of human trafficking, and his redemption and personal healing through the love and understanding of Tessa. In the third installment Unlawful Contact, we meet Marc Hunter who breaks our hearts and makes us bite our nails, as he and Sophie struggle to bring justice to women abused in the prison system. The fourth book, Naked Edge, we are humbled by the grace and dignity of Kat James, a Navajo woman caught between two worlds: her traditional roots and her modern position as an investigative reporter. She and park ranger Gabe Rossiter discover and expose a dangerous ring of thieves that are looting sacred native lands. And finally, in Breaking Point, we are amazed by the heroism and courage of former Navy SEAL/current US Marshal Zack McBride and the grit and determination of Natalie Benoit, who survived a horrible near-death experience during Hurricane Katrina. We hold our breath, fearing for their lives as they escape their brutal captivity from a drug cartel. We learn and despair over the mysterious disappearances and deaths of hundreds of women near Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and the terrible effects of the drug trafficking trade. With each installment, past characters are brought back. We see how they are doing, how their families are growing, and enjoy the fun banter and camaraderie as the men become closer and we appreciate the strong bond of friendship and support between the women.

One of the most rewarding parts of Breaking Point for me was the teaming together of Julian, Marc, Gabe and Zack. Their constant ribbing and taunting of each other reveals a deep and abiding respect and friendship that has developed between them, and to watch them also have to submit to Zack's US Marshal status, which gives him jurisdiction over them all, was just plain fun. Also, to my delight, photojournalist Joaquin Ramirez gets a much bigger role in Breaking Point, and I so enjoyed learning more about a favorite side character of mine.

Pamela Clare's I-team series is more than a set of romantic suspense novels. Her characters are so realistic and appealing. Not a cardboard cutout to be found. They become real people to you, people you can relate to and would love to hang out with some Friday night. There is romance, yes, and plenty of it. And let's face it; her books are HOT HOT HOT. But her love scenes are more than smut. There is steamy chemistry but also deep emotion there. Her heroines are not sluts who jump into bed with just anyone. There is suspense, yes, and plenty of it. But it is more than just suspense. By the time her characters are in jeopardy, you truly care and worry about these heroes/heroines. And she puts these people through the ringer. Happy endings do not come without sacrifices, and some truly shocking and gut-wrenching sacrifices are made in her stories. I won't spoil it, but be warned you will find yourself literally crying and reaching for the box of tissues at the end of some of her books. There is humor, as her heroes and heroines tend to have a quick wit and sharp mind, and a wicked sense of humor. Her subject matters are so dark that a little comic relief balances the pathos, torment and anguish beautifully.

I can absolutely without reservation recommend Breaking Point, and any title in the I-team series. They are romance stories that will leave you thinking about these characters and her subject matters well after you've finished reading. They are suspenseful, scary, steamy, sexy, funny, tragic and relevant. They are well-written, thoroughly researched, and full of detail. Ms. Clare's tight, intense writing style has a way of sucking the reader right into the plot, making you feel right in the moment with the characters. You laugh with them, cry with them, fall in love along with them, and your heart pounds as you fear for them. She has a wonderful ability to set the scene, painting a vivid sense of place, without getting bogged down into endless descriptive paragraphs. And above all, after having read her books, you will have learned something. These are books you will want to purchase, not borrow, if you are able. These are books you will want to re-read over and over again.

Denver journalist Natalie Benoit is in Cuidad Juarez on her way to a journalistic convention, when she is taken hostage by a Mexican drug cartel and held captive in the middle of the desert. There, she meets another prisoner, Chief Deputy US Marshall Zach McBride, who occupies the cell next to hers. Together they will try to escape and to find their way back to the USA, fleeing across the Mexican desert.
Zach and Natalie both have suffered and have a hard time overcoming past grief and angst. As their mutual attraction develops, they will find a reason to start living life again.

I can't recommend Breaking Point (or any other book in the I-Team series) enough. It's a fast paced, gripping story with sizzling romance, a real page-turner that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Pamela Clare has a way of bringing her H/h to life so that you soon forget it's fiction. I was drawn inside the story, caring for Zach and Natalie from the moment I met them, following them on their way to freedom, fearing for their safety. I shed a tear (or three), laughed, shuddered and cheered when the bad guys were brought down. Zach and Natalie stayed with me long after I turned the last page.

Marc, Julian and Gabe (from the previous books in the I-Team series) play their part in rescuing Natalie, and it was a real pleasure to see them -- a bit like seeing old friends again.

Highly recommended. A+/Five stars.

This was an action-packed romance novel (who knew?!) The damsel in distress Natalie gets kidnapped in Mexico and happens to land in the dark cell next to ex-Navy SEAL and US Marshall Zach (there's nothing this man can't do!) She rescues him, he rescues her, people get killed during many fight-outs, their dark pasts come to light. It was a pretty good read! Yes, of course they fall for each other, duh! (otherwise I wouldn't have read the book.)

Everyone's done really well in giving summaries. I just wanted to add that I'd never heard of Pamela Clare before reading this book. I liked it so well that i had to find what else she's written. Suffice it to say, I've now read ALL her I-Team books and hope she'll come out with another one, soon! I'm also looking forward to reading her older historical stuff when i can get my hands on it. I think this one is my favorite of her I-Team. I did not read them in order and had no troubles keeping things organized. I would highly recommend the series!

4.75
I love this series. I recommend it to everyone who loves a good romance suspense. Zach and Natalie's story is another great addition to this series. The romance and sex is off the charts and the suspense is nail biting, edge of your seat scary and heart wrenching. You have to read this series.

This is the fifth in a series. Great pacing, realistic characters and a great love story too. Often the mystery/thriller aspect of a story is lost in a 'romance' or the other way around. Pamela Clare consistently combines all in a story well worth reading. I don't recommend lending the book out-you may not get it back. A real e-ticket ride.

Breaking Point is my fourth I-Team series novel, and I'd let Zach save me anytime! Knowledgeable, efficient and dangerous, Zach was also compassionate and sexy. There were times when he was hard on Natalie, who held her own, but the reader understands why. When it comes to getting them out of Mexico alive, Zach's the man. Natalie proved to be a fighter, too, and was a great match for him. Pamela Clare also reintroduces Julian, Gabe and Marc and this book, especially near the end, showed the depth of love these men had for "one of their own." I wish they'd make these books into Lifetime Movies.

Bravo, Pamela!

I absolutely loved Breaking Point. Zach and Natalie had great chemistry. Fast moving story line. This can be read as a stand alone but I would recommend reading the series in order because all of the previous characters return in this novel. The entire series is great!

I loved the lastest installment of the I-Team series! Natalie and Zach's story had everything romantic suspense fans look for. I highly recommend this book and if you haven't read the previous four I-Team entries, get to your local bookstore fast or download them on your e-reader. You won't be disappointed.

Cannot wait for Holly's story!

Amanda K.