Years ago, a group of soldiers were experimented with as a part of the Project Dawn program.  Only, something went wrong. Instead of making the lean, mean, soldier fighting machines they wanted, the scientists created shapeshifters that often times lose their minds and have to be put down.  That is where Hale comes in.  Hale Rogers is a member of Circe’s Recruits, a unit of men, and some mates, that work to keep people safe when another Project Dawn experimentation goes wrong.  Hale and his fellow Circes have learned to live with their new bodies as well as their new sexual drives.  When Hale smells an elusive scent in the air while searching for Project Dawn’s now deceased scientist’s daughter, one thing clicks in his mind – she is his and his alone – except, she isn’t by herself and the man she is with, Robbie McKinley, smells just as good to Hale as Paige does.   Danger is all around but one thing is for certain; Hale is not letting Paige Masters nor McKinley go.

Mating scents and sexual frenzies aside, Hale is quite possibly my favorite Circe’s Recruits installment.  I think it has to do with the vulnerability of all three characters.  McKinley was introduced in previous installments and I wondered about his loyalties to Project Dawn.  Paige was in danger just for the fact that she was related to Elliot Pearl as well as a test subject.  McKinley’s feelings and thoughts were a bit harder to see – he was a huge man and while violent when he had to be, he was a big teddy bear afraid of hurting Paige – Hale he could take – Paige he was petrified of.  Hale was a warrior through and through and he loved just as hard as he fought.  I really loved his characterization.

Hale is the perfect story for these three emotionally attached characters.  As with all of Marie Harte’s novels, the love scenes were meltingly hot and blazing with passion.  From beginning to end I was unable to stop reading and I can’t stop thinking about this book.  I am anxious to see if there are any more Circs up Marie Harte’s sleeve!