KC is one of my go to authors. I know that when I pick up one of her books I'll get sucked completely into the world that she has created and even if I don't love the story to the point of hugging my ereader, I always end up enjoying the time I spent with the characters and The Professional is no exception to that rule. The story was well paced and filled with the humorous moments KC is known for as well, moments that tug at your heart and ones that have you either reaching for your BOB or needing a freezing cold shower, as well as moment of frustration with the characters where you just want to reach through the pages and smack them. 
 Natalie is an grad student, working three jobs in order to achieve her goal of obtaining her masters and searching for any clue as to who her biological parents are but she isn't all work and no play. She likes to throw down with her friends and has an uncanny talent at being a "manalyst" with one exception. What I liked about her is she spoke her mind, even when she probably shouldn't have, and for the most part, didn't back down when she wanted something. There are moments in the book where it seems like she is a pushover, but when you look at the big picture of what she was dealing with, something things were taken out of her hands and she had to make the best of it. The aspect I loved about Natalie's character was that while she is a virgin, as in never having coitus, she isn't virginal, thank God! I think if she'd be a little naive thing I would've stopped reading. She's messed around. She has an extensive arsenal hidden under her bed and owns her sexuality. Her reasons for still having her "skin tag", as her best friend Jess would say, were more than valid in my opinion and I had much respect for her waiting, not necessarily for Mr. Right, but for the man who would give her more than a subpar experience. 
 Alexsei "The Siberian" Sevastyan,trusted mafiya Enforcer for Natalia's father with a past shrouded in mystery. He is the epitome of strong, silent, too sexy for his own good, broody, emotionally unavailable alpha male who is used to people following his every command, in almost all ways and oozes violence. But underneath all of that ice he is loyal to a fault and the rare glimpses of vulnerability simply draw you in even more and keep watch for another crack to form. Then there is his kink factor, which is off the charts hot, as is his self control. So when he lets loose it's a sight to see. 
 The secondary cast of characters added great moments to the story. Jess, Natalie's best friend, is a brash, snarky, tell it like it is with no edit button added the much needed comic relief as well as the necessary smack upside the head. I really want her to get her own book. Pavel Kovalev, Natalie's father, was also a welcome breath of fresh air. He had more of a beloved Uncle feel, than a hardened Bratva boss and I love how KC dealt with Natalie meeting her father for the first time and how they went about getting to know each other. She could have taken it to the angsty extreme, but thankfully chose a much simpler route. Filip, Natalie's distant cousin, I have neither good or bad to say of him, other than he served his role in the story. 
 As much as I enjoyed this book, the, oh, last 30% had me wanting to bang my head on my desk. It had nothing to do with the sex scenes, because this is erotica, much of the relationship building and finding of oneself happens through the act of sex, and I'm good with that on all levels, and in this book the sex scenes are HOT! It had more to do with how the 'one step forward-three steps back', way too angsty for me, situation Natalie and Sevastyan's relationship was magnified. Admittedly, it was like that through most of the book, but it wasn't as bad because it wasn't just the two of them, Kovalev and Filip were around to break it up. So when you add that to what transpires when Maksim visits, it was just a total cluster. At that point I was 150% behind Jess and what she advised. Do things get worked out? Yes, we finally get a 'come to Jesus' session between the two, but even that, though still well done because we finally get to see more of Sevastyan, wasn't enough for me. I'd have preferred less of the angst and more of the come to Jesus at that point. 
 Will I continue with the series? Yes. Not only because I do enjoy KC's writing, but also because my curiosity about The Siberian's brothers has been piqued and I want to see what happens with them.