3.5 Stars 
 The Professional by Kresley Cole is the first book in her new Game Maker series. I would classify it as a contemporary romance, heavy on the steam, with definite BDSM elements. Though it is strong on the erotic scale, I wouldn't classify it as erotica. Sex is a big part of the book but the story takes precedence. 
 The Professional is a story about a young woman, Natalie, who was raised in the Midwest. She has been searching for her birth parents and in this book she finds her father, who it turns out, is Russian Mafia. The hero, Sevastyan is her father's right hand man and he basically becomes obsessed with Natalie. He is extremely protective and possessive which becomes quickly apparent when they find themselves in danger. 
 It is an interesting and fast paced book that pulled me in from the beginning. I can't imagine reading it in three parts, as it was originally published, so I'm glad to see it being released as a complete book. It is well written and I found the story to be engaging. The characters are well drawn. They are likable and compelling. I particularly enjoyed the moments between Natalie and her father. The only thing I wasn't sure of was the romance. It seemed desperate and obsessive but loving? Not so much. Natalie and Sevastyan connected well sexually but they stumbled when it came to connecting emotionally. A big part of that was Sevastyan holding back and I understood why he did it. It was an important part of the story. It just made it harder for the reader to feel the love. This issue is resolved very satisfactorily in the end. I just would like to have seen it happen a bit earlier in the story. 
 Overall, I feel The Professional was well done and I enjoyed reading it. I will be interested in reading the next book in the Game Makers series.