Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander Joe Montgomery is in pain. He’s the sole survivor of a horrible mission-gone-wrong. It was a mission he shouldn’t have been on in the first place and he can’t get rid of his overwhelming guilt for his fallen soldiers. Coming home to drown his guilt, he doesn’t expect to be distracted by his next-door neighbor, the one woman he can’t seem to get away from.

Lieutenant Penelope ‘Penny’ Price is in danger. She is searching for information about the murder of her father, and now she’s caught the murderer’s attention. With her sister on her doorstep, and her distracting neighbor next door, she doesn’t know what to do. When Joe arrives at her office for physical therapy, she can’t deny her attraction to him.

Joe is desperate to remain anonymous after his accident. The media is clamoring to find out who the sole survivor was, and now Penny knows the truth about him. Penny is desperate to stay one step ahead of the killer. The FBI is involved, but it’s Joe who makes her feel safer. Can their fledgling romance survive their careers and the killer?

I was completely blown away by Next to Die. The characters are fully developed, interesting and engaging to watch as they move from scene to scene. The side story between Ophelia, Penny’s sister, and SEAL Vinny DeInnocentis was one of my favorite parts of Next to Die. It was like getting two romances in one! Joe and Penny complement each other, and I loved the sexual tension that led to some pretty hot sex. Next to Die is an incredible story, full of emotion, intrigue and commanding characters. This was my first story by Marliss Melton but it won’t be my last. The day after reading Next to Die, I instantly went out and bought Ms. Melton’s other books. I can’t recommend Next to Die enough!