Years later, Silas Grant is president of the United States and since he is a widower, Tierney is his hostess at the White House. She is blind-sided by running into Lawson Archer. She still has the same old feelings for him. He tries everything to get Tierney out of the building where her reception is being held. True to form, she fights every step of the way. They are still in the building when the bomb containing a deadly biotoxin explodes. Archer was finally able to get Tierney out, she at last cooperated with the effort, but the President was at ground zero and never had a chance.

Tierney couldn't believe it. Her father had been her rock as far back as she could remember. Which wasn't very far. She'd been in a serious accident around age eleven and couldn't remember any of her life before that. Lawson had a theory about why. He'd seen her name on the list of Pleiades sisters, seven women who'd been taken as children and programmed as a weapon for the space aliens, the Anaz-Voohri. Tierney wasn't aware of any special gift like the other sisters had, so Lawson hoped her name on the list was a mistake.

Tierney could tell that Lawson Archer knew what was going on and knew who'd killed her father. She was sticking with him until she got justice. If she could convince him along the way that she really did love him, and he should give in to his feelings for her, well, even better.

This book is amazing! Every time I thought I had all the plot angles figured out another strand became apparent. The characters are even more complex than the plot. I could really relate to Tierney and Lawson as they struggled to sort out feelings of pain and loss as well as overwhelming attraction and love for each other, while trying to stay focused on saving the world. And staying alive, of course, while finding an antidote to the biotoxin before time runs out for everyone who'd been exposed. I felt Tierney's anxiety when she began to fear that she might be this alien thing and feared that Lawson would look at her with disgust if it turned out to be true.

The secondary characters are also strong, even though I believe they probably each had their own book before this one. Marcos and Tori were especially inspiring. I can't wait to track down their book and read it.

OPERATION PLEIADES: CONTAGION is definitely five heart material. Kudos to Ms. Mitchell for such a wonderful book. This is such an enjoyable book, your life will be just a little bit richer for having read it. Don't miss it.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Very sensual

Reviewer: Karen Haas
March 6, 2006